A man who fled abroad has been jailed for stabbing a man with a kitchen knife in 2020.

A judge sentenced Florin Stanescu, aged 43, of no fixed abode, to a year-and-a-half in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count each of affray and possession of a bladed article at Oxford Crown Court yesterday, (April 18).

Stanescu stabbed a man several times after an argument about an ‘unpaid debt’.

The man was hitting Stanescu with a golf club.

Police received a report of men fighting in Prescott Avenue in Banbury at around 9pm on February 9 2020.

Officers attended and found a man with stab wounds to his torso, along with Stanescu.

The victim was taken to hospital for further treatment, but was later discharged.

Stanescu was charged on July 25, 2022 but he failed to attend his first court hearing, so the court issued a warrant for his arrest.

On February 13 this year, Stanescu was arrested at Luton Airport after he returned to the UK from overseas.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Bryan Groves said: “I am pleased that Florin Stanescu has finally been dealt with for this serious offence.

“It is fortunate Stanescu did not cause more serious harm than he did on that night.

“We will never tolerate knife crime and will always seek to bring offenders to justice, no matter how long it takes and if they try to flee abroad.”