A KNIFE attacker who slashed a nightclubber from the back of his head to his mouth- and then caught him again on the chin- is behind bars for 10 years.

Burnley Crown Court heard how William Fullerton, 39, laughed and joked in triumph after the early hours assault on Michael Clitheroe in Accrington- the town the defendant regarded as a 'sanctuary,' from his native Scotland, where he had been set on and left for dead. The onslaught was captured on the town's CCTV system. Fullerton had ordered Mr Clitheroe to his knees, but he refused, and he had slit open his face as another man held him. The defendant, who himself is scarred from his right ear to his mouth after the beating in Scotland, was said to be touchy about his appearance and suffering from then-undiagnosed post traumatic stress disorder. He claimed he had earlier been subjected to abuse in Afrikas nightclub.

Sentencing Fullerton, who has twice been to custody for offences of violence, Judge Raymond Bennett said he was passing a longer than normal sentence because the defendant was a danger to the public.

He added he was sure Fullerton was a hard-working man, when he had not been drinking.

Judge Bennett told the defendant, who had claimed the Stanley knife he used had fallen from the complainant's pocket, that he was quite satisfied he had the weapon on him from the start.

The judge added that he would have hoped that after Fullerton had suffered the wounding, he wouldn't have wanted a similar fate to befall anybody else.

Fullerton, of Hornby Street, Accrington, had earlier been convicted by a jury of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm and affray, in November 1999.

Howard Baisden, prosecuting, had told the court Mr Clitheroe, who was out with a friend, was the worse for drink. They had been to Afrikas and then went onto a takeaway.