A GOOD Samaritan was stabbed four times by a homeless man who he had let stay in his house.

Lee Thompson was stabbed in the head, chest, armpit, shoulder and suffered damage to his left index finger after being attacked by Anthony Reeves with a kitchen knife.

Burnley Crown Court heard Mr Thompson was attacked by Reeves, 49, at his home in Wellington Street, Accrington, in March 2017 at around 5.30am.

Stephen Parker, defending, said the defendant, the victim and the victim’s girlfriend, had been drinking and smoking and the Reeves decided to try to fix Mr Thompson’s cooker.

The court heard Mr Thompson had fallen asleep in the living room and woke up and saw his girlfriend and Reeves in the kitchen, along with a bottle of vodka, and believed the pair had entered an intimate relationship. Mr Parker said: "There was an argument, he said it went on for a long time.

“His girlfriend grabbed side of his face, near Mr Thompson’s eye and dug her nails into his skin.”

The court head Mr Thompson then grabbed his girlfriend by the shoulder and neck area.

Mr Parker said as Mr Thompson did so, he felt a thud to his head and shoulder, before turning around to see the defendant holding a 10-inch kitchen knife.

The court heard the defendant said to Mr Thompson “I’m going to kill you” before the victim tried to grab the blade.

The court heard the defendant stabbed Mr Thompson in the chest and when the defendant fell to his knees he stabbed him in his side.

The court heard Mr Thompson suffered a two-and-a-half centimetre wound to his sternum, a one centimetre wound to his shoulder, a superficial stab wound to the back of his head, a one-and-a-half centimetre wound to his upper chest and a tendon injury to his finger.

Mr Thompson was taken to hospital and discharged himself five days later.

Reeves had eight previous convictions for 10 offences.

Matt Howarth, defending, said his client was suffering from a mental health disorder and had a difficult upbringing.

He said: “He was rejected by his mother when he was young.

“He has not used drugs in two years, This offence was out of character.”

Reeves, now of Eagle Street, Accrington, pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and was sentenced to two years and three months in prison.