A KNIFEMAN who left his victim an inch from death after sinking a hunting knife four inches into him has been jailed for five years.

Sajid Ali, 26, of Abel Street, Burnley, was sent to prison for the "act of extreme violence" in an alleyway in Nelson after a judge said he had to send out a message to people who carry knives. The stab wound caused three separate perforations to the small bowel of victim Basil Afzaal, from Nelson.

The knife passed around an inch from the aorta and had that main blood vessel been damaged, Mr Afzaal would have died, the court was told.

Ali's defence team told Preston Crown Court that a doctor believed the brain tumour Ali was suffering from could have changed him into a different and more aggressive person.

But, speaking after the case, Detective Constable Neil Morris, who investigated the case, said: "As far as I'm concerned on that night he had one thing on his mind: to stab and seriously wound Basil Afzaal.

"I would echo the judge's sentiment that nobody has the right to carry a knife, or any weapon, 'just in case', and anyone caught carrying and using one will face a full police investigation, and the consequences in court."

Judge Michael Byrne told Sajid Ali in passing sentence: "There are no circumstances in which any citizen is entitled to go about carrying a knife.

"These courts will not shrink from sending this message out to all our communities in such cases where it is appropriate."

On the night of the attack last August, Ali had contacted his former friend Mr Afzaal by phone asking him to come and speak to him.

They later met up near the Kismet Takeaway, Victoria Street, Nelson, and went together to an alleyway behind the outlet.

Martin Hackett, prosecuting, said Mr Afzaal said he thought the only purpose of going to the alley was simply to talk.

But the crown said it was self-evident from the statement of another man that some words appeared to be exchanged and Ali offered Mr Afzaal a fight.

The witness said that Mr Afzaal had said "No, let's do it here".

In the alley, Ali was said to have produced a hunting type knife, with a blade four to five inches long.

The weapon has never been recovered.

Mr Hackett told the court: "Mr Afzaal felt an immediate pain in his stomach" and went down to his knees.

He felt himself being punched three to four times while on the floor and was also kicked in the head, the court heard.

Video footage of the scene at the alley was played in court which showed the defendant punching him before two others separated the men.

Ali went on to stab Mr Afzaal in the stomach before lashing out with a kick.

Mr Afzaal had emergency surgery and spent 10 days in hospital.

He made a victim impact statement for the court in which he spoke of having nightmares afterwards.

The prosecution said there was some background between the two men, but it was uncertain why that resulted in a serious offence.

Ali admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon.

His brother Mohammed Ali, 31, also of Abel Street, was convicted of witness intimidation after telling another man to pass on a message for Mr Afzaal to drop the charges, otherwise his family would be "pumped with bullets". He was given 12-month prison, suspended for two years, with 150 hours unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £1,000 prosecution costs.

Richard Mansell, for Sajid Ali, a married father of three, said his client had committed an act of extreme violence and had been carrying a knife generally.

Mr Mansell said that Ali had a tumour removed from the right frontal lobe of his brain and had radiotherapy treatment after being diagnosed last May.

He said: "His long term prognosis is unclear.

"A doctor has said that anyone who suffers frontal lobe damage, as this defendant did, can undergo a dramatic change in social behaviour and personality.

"The doctor can and does say there is a possibility he did become more aggressive as a result of the damage.

"He quite possibly may have turned into a different person than that which existed before."

Yunus Valli, for Mohammed Ali, said of the witness intimidation charge: "This was a misplaced allegiance and loyalty. It was a one off".