A MAN who stabbed a drug addict with a kitchen knife, missing his heart by a millimetre, has been jailed for more than five years.

Thomas Anthony Sherlock plunged the blade into amphetamine user Stephen Lea’s stomach after Mr Lea and two friends started banging on his front door and throwing bottles at his windows.

Teesside Crown Court heard that Sherlock, 42, an amphetamine user himself, was frightened after one of the group had attacked him with a knife 15 minutes earlier.

The man, now in custody awaiting trial, allegedly lashed out at Sherlock after he refused to give him £10 for a stolen bike.

Sherlock was arrested after Mr Lea, 21, was found bleeding profusely in the street outside Sherlock’s house in Melland Street, Darlington, on December 12, last year.

Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said: “Without surgical intervention, Mr Lea would have died.

“The complainant and his girlfriend are amphetamine addicts. They ran into an acquaintance in the street who told them they had to go to Mr Sherlock’s house.

“Mr Lea’s girlfriend said that when they got there, the defendant came flying out of the front door and stabbed Mr Lea.

“Mr Lea was doubled up and could not breathe and was taken to hospital.

“Surgery was performed immediately. The knife had lacerated his liver and diaphragm and come within a millimetre of his heart. The blade went 8in into his body.”

The court heard that Sherlock had previous convictions for burglary, drug possession, wounding and arson after trying to commit suicide by setting fire to himself.

Jonnie Walker, in mitigation, said a man with Mr Lea on the afternoon in question, had attacked him with a knife 15 minutes earlier, leaving him with defence wounds to his hands.

He said the man then returned with Mr Lea and they started banging on his door.

Sherlock, who had earlier pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison.

Judge Bryan Forster said: “The courts have a clear duty to deter people from fighting with knives. People can lose their lives.”