A violent thug repeatedly stabbed a woman when she bravely went to intervene while he attacked his partner.

Jonathan Knox was spotted dragging the woman into the street before the Good Samaritan immediately ran over to help when her partner pulled their car over.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 30-year-old said ‘is this what you wanted’ before he started attacking her with a knife.

The woman’s actions were described as ‘brave’ when she tried to help before the blade was turned on her as Knox attacked his partner in Shotton Colliery on December 6 last year.

Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said: “She shouted ‘leave her alone’ before the defendant responded saying ‘is this what you wanted’.

“She thought he started to punch her. She felt blows to her neck and back. What he was actually doing was stabbing her with a knife.

“She could feel blood running down her back. He stabbed her three times before returning his attention to the female on the ground. He was then seen on CCTV to run off.”

Mr Dodds told the court that the woman suffered a punctured lung and lacerations to her neck and shoulder following that attack on December 6 last year.

The court heard how Knox committed the offence while he on court bail awaiting sentence for a burglary and theft of a car from New Year’s Day 2022 on Spearman Walk, Hartlepool.

The defendant told police that ‘he was off his head on drugs’ and couldn’t remember the incident.

Jonathan KnoxJonathan Knox (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Knox, of Potto Street, Shotton Colliery, County Durham, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, burglary, and theft of a car.

Anthony Davis, mitigating, said his client had longstanding problem with prescription drugs and was under the influence of them at the time of the offences.

He said: “Mr Knox believed he was being set about by a male but the reality is he had the sense to plead guilty to those matters.”

See more court stories from The Northern Echo by clicking here

Get more from The Northern Echo with a digital subscription. To get access to our latest offer Click here.

Judge Nathan Adams sentenced Knox to a total of four years and nine months for all offences.

“I reject any notion that you were acting in self-defence,” he said. “There was nothing about the situation that could have led you to believe that you were under attack.

“It was solely as a result of you taking illegal substances that you were not in a right state of mind.

“It was a serious matter but it could have been even more so.”