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A man has been jailed for slashing another man across the face with a knife during a late night confrontation.

Shay Rowbotham, 26, pulled out the weapon and charged at the victim with it during the incident in Sandringham Road, Hartlepool.

He caused a deep wound to the victim’s nose which needed surgery and has left him with a permanent scar.

Teesside Crown Court heard that the victim got involved in an incident between Rowbotham and another man in the car park of the Hartlepools United Supporters Club.

Teesside Crown Court was told Shay Rowbotham ended up homeless after spiralling into drug and alcohol abuse after being placed in foster care as a child.

It had been suggested that Rowbotham, who was homeless, had been in the other man’s car to keep warm.

The knife attack victim tried to take a photo of Rowbotham and followed him down Sandringham Road where he tried to restrain him.

CCTV footage of the incident on January 12 showed the victim at times squared up to Rowbotham in a “fighting stance” and continue to follow him, said prosecutor Emma Atkinson.

Police warn young people in Hartlepool of life-changing consequences of carrying...

The knife attack took place in Sandringham Road, Hartlepool. Picture by FRANK REID

Ms Aktinson said: “The defendant then pulled out a knife, a blade about two and a half inches long, and repeatedly tried to stab him.

"There was a physical scuffle and he tried to defend himself. The defendant struck him in the face with the knife which caused a deep wound to his nose.”

The court heard at first the victim thought his nose had been cut off.

He was assessed by a plastic surgeon, underwent surgery and has been left with permanent scarring.

Referring to an impact statement by the victim, Ms Atkinson said: “He keeps reliving the impact of the knife.

"He suffers nightmares and he’s terrified about how much worse it could have been if the knife had been millimetres higher where it could have cut through his eyes.”

Rowbotham admitted wounding with intent and possession of an offensive weapon.

The judge said he had an “appalling” record for weapons including carrying knives previously and trying to attack a shopkeeper with a hammer.

Calum McNicholas, mitigating, said there had been a “degree of provocation” although Rowbotham accepted his reaction was “completely inappropriate”.

Jailing Rowbotham, of no fixed address, for four years, Judge Richard Bennett said there was “no excuse whatsoever” for his use of the knife against the victim.

Hartlepool man jailed at Teesside Crown Court after slashing victim across face in confrontation in street