A MAN burst into a friend's flat during the night and carried out a knife attack on someone he blamed for a break-in at his mother's home, a court heard.

Melvin Park slashed the man's forehead and cheek after waking the occupants of the flat in Pensbury Street, Darlington.

Durham Crown Court heard that Park was recognised despite wearing a balaclava in an effort to protect his identity.

He left after the attack, but the victim was initially too frightened to seek hospital treatment in case Park was lying in wait outside.

The man eventually left on foot for Darlington Memorial Hospital, where he received treatment for a 10cm cut to the left cheek and a 2cm laceration to the forehead.

Park was arrested and he spat at and punched a police officer in the custody suite.

When interviewed, he said his recollection of the incident was poor, but he claimed that he had acted in self-defence.

Amanda Rippon, mitigating, said Park reacted as he did after learning that the victim had been seen selling property stolen from his mother's house in a local pub.

He lost his temper and went to the flat hoping to recover some of his mother's jewellery.

Park, of Peabody Street, Darlington, admitted unlawful wounding, in the incident last November, plus common assault at the police station.

He was jailed for a total of 30 months, including three months of an unexpired previous sentence.

Judge Tim Hewitt told him: "You slashed this man twice, on the temple and forehead, in a dangerous manner, and he's lucky there weren't more serious injuries."