A 20-YEAR-OLD Swindon man who arranged to meet his cousin in a lorry park to resolve a family feud and slashed him across the chest with a cut-throat razor, has walked free from court.

A judge told Burake Edikci, of Worsley Road, Freshbrook, it was pure luck that his cousin Mehmet Ozer did not die.

Ozer suffered a 20 centimetre slash across his chest in the Kings Meadow Lorry Park, Cirencester, in the early hours of the morning of May 31 last year, Gloucester Crown Court heard.

Recorder Malcolm Galloway outlined the facts of the incident before giving the defendant an 18-month prison sentence suspended for two years and 18 months supervision.

He also ordered him to do 250 hours of unpaid work.

He said: “You pleaded guilty to section 20 unlawful wounding and your basis of plea has been accepted by the Crown.

“You got into a family dispute with your cousin about a kebab van and on the night in question you sent Mr Ozer threatening texts and arranged to meet in the lorry park.

“You picked up a cutthroat razor left in the vehicle by your brother, who is a barber.

“Your cousin had brought two friends with him and you were attacked.

“So you slashed out with the razor in a reckless swipe across his chest and stomach, it was excessive self-defence.

“After the incident you waited for the police to arrive and the victim was taken to hospital, where he had to undergo surgery. It is pure luck that nothing more serious happened to your victim and that he is alive today.

“Your cousin must have thought that he was going to die and luckily for him and for you he did not die.

“But you have no previous convictions and are a college student, two years into your course.

“I am going to give you a chance but must tell you that you are a very, very lucky young man.

“If I send you to jail today you will lose your college place and possibly embark on a life of criminality.”

Defending barrister Sarah Holland said: “This is a crucial stage in my client’s life and hopefully this young man will learn from his behaviour that night.

“A community order at this time in his life will make a difference.”