A FATHER-of-three who knifed his stepfather as the victim lay in bed claimed it was pay back as he had been ‘sexually abused’ by him for two decades, a court heard.

Antony Hallick, 35, who had earlier been smoking cannabis, had walked into Ian Barrow's bedroom in the early hours and stabbed him, telling him: “That's for 20 years of screwing my head in.”

Hallick had gone on to ring his sister and told her what he had done. She and her husband called the police and when officers arrived at Mr Barrow's home on Clayton Street, Barnoldswick, the defendant was outside in the back yard and told them: “My stepfather is in there. He sexually abused me for 20 years and I have had enough”, Burnley Crown Court was told.

The victim, who, the court was told, is a 52-year-old convicted sex offender, suffered several deep wounds, tendon and nerve damage and had probably been left disabled after the attack on September 14.

Hallick, of Barkerhouse Road, Nelson, admitted unlawful wounding and was sent to jail for two years. He has two convictions for violence from some time ago.

David Macro, prosecuting, said Mr Barrow told police “they had gone too far sexually together and their relationship had been going on a long time, probably since the defendant was 16, for 20 years of so.”

Martin Hackett, defending, said Hallick's behaviour had been out of character. The barrister told the court: “It's not accepted by the defendant that he was ever in a relationship, in the proper sense, with this complainant. The defendant views it as him being the victim of abuse at the complainant's hands. That has always been the case."

Mr Hackett added: “The complainant does have a relevant conviction, not relating to this defendant, relating to other complainants, at this court earlier on this year, for this sort of offence, involving younger boys than the defendant. That doesn't excuse the defendant's actions on that night”