AN Irish labourer with 74 aliases was sent to jail yesterday by a judge.

The man's criminal history also gave four dates of birth, and Judge Guy Whitburn, at Teesside Crown Court, said: "Four birthdays; lucky man."

He jailed Michael Kelly, 59, for two-and-a-half-years for a knife attack on a prostitute.

Kelly had previous convictions which revealed he had used the 74 aliases.

Christopher Attwooll, defending, said Kelly was an itinerant labourer born in Limerick who used different names to evade tax.

Kelly had split from his girlfriend when he met the prostitute in January last year in Middlesbrough and paid her £15 for sex.

But when the 22-year-old visited his home in April last year, he had been reunited with his 55-year-old girlfriend, Barbara Swales, the court was told.

The judge heard that Swales punched the prostitute several times in the face, while Kelly produced a knife, shouting: "You are not getting out of this house alive.

He then hacked at her hair and clothes, cutting her and forcing her on to the floor, where he lay on top of her.

Mr Attwooll said that Kelly made an allegation that the girl stole £120 from him when he was drunk.

Kelly, of The Grove, North Ormesby, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm, making a threat to kill, false imprisonment and indecent assault. A charge of attempted rape, which he denied, was left on file.

Swales, of Southfield Road, Middlesbrough, was given a two-year community rehabilitation order after pleading guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm and false imprisonment. A charge of making a threat to kill, which she denied, was left on file.