A Burnley man has been sentenced to life imprisonment after he stabbed a man in the neck late last year.

Appearing at Preston Crown Court, Lee Hart, 39, was to be sentenced having pleaded guilty to section 18 wounding with intent after being charged with attempted murder.

On December 16, 2021, Hart went to the property where he was residing in Smith Street in the early hours of the morning.

When he arrived his flatmate and the victim of the stabbing were talking in the flat.

Entering the property, Hart was drunk and was staggering around. He boasted about beating someone earlier and then left the kitchen stating he was going to bed.

Hart, however, returned to the kitchen later and became aggressive to the victim, in his 40's, who had never met him before.

During his aggressive outburst, the defendant said the victim was talking about him and got defensive, telling the victim he would stab him 100 times.

Hart proceeded to stand up and took a knife from his back pocket before stabbing the victim in the neck causing blood to start spurting out.

The defendant proceeded to pull the knife out of the victim’s neck and said "say a word and I will stab you 100 times".

The victim ran into the bathroom closing the door out of fear telling Hart he needed medical attention.

Hart walked away from the bathroom stating he was going to get a bigger knife and as he did, the victim ran out of the bathroom and out of the flat and took the knife with him out of fear of being attacked again.

The victim dropped the knife outside the property and held a jumper to the wound on his neck.

A nearby motorist saw the victim and called for an ambulance.

The victim was treated by paramedics who were concerned about blood loss before he was taken to hospital.

When arriving at hospital there wasn’t time for a scan, he was taken straight to surgery.

Upon inspection, doctors found a 4cm wide and 4cm deep wound in the left side of the victim’s neck with the knife damaging the artery and surrounding muscles.

The victim luckily made a full recovery and was discharged after 24 hours, however in a victim statement report he stated Hart had caused significant pain and had pushed him to have anxiety and fear.

Doctors stated if the victim's wound had been left for one more hour without medical attention, it is likely the victim would have bled to death.

Hart fled the scene in Smith Street and went on the run. He was found and arrested in Oxford after a police manhunt and he was arrested on January 22.

Addressing the court, prosecutor Alaric Bassano told the court of the events of December 16, and said the defendant is 39 years of age and has already committed 28 offences and has been sentenced on 19 occasions.

He told the court there were many aggravated features in this case, including the previous convictions, the defendant being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the offence, and him committing the offence while on licence.

When Hart was first questioned about the offence, he said it was in self-defence and he had no intent to kill.

Speaking on behalf of the defendant, Sukhdev Garcha said the he has had a troubled background with mental health problems and a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

He told the court the defendant has been seeking professional help for his mental health using a programme to get him the right medication.

Mr Garcha said the defendant wants to make something of his life after having spent many years in custody.

Her Honour Judge Heather Lloyd then addressed Hart, saying how on December 16 he met his victim for the first time and within moments took the knife and stabbed the victim in the neck.

Judge Lloyd said the defendant used a ‘highly dangerous weapon – a 3-inch knife’ and it couldn’t be ignored that the defendant was carrying the knife and did not pick it up spontaneously.

She also stated it is not the first time Hart has used a weapon or knife to threaten having been sentenced previously for similar offences.

Judge Lloyd said: “It is clear you are a very violent man, and your offences are getting more serious.”

She continued by saying there was a very high risk the defendant would do this again, and lengthier custodial sentences have not made the defendant reflect on his behaviour, and he has shown little to no remorse as the "victim could so easily have died".

Hart was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of eight years and six months, and he will be subject to licence for the remainder of his life when he leaves prison.

Det Sgt Sarah Hargreaves, of East CID, said: “This was a completely unprovoked and extremely serious assault, and the victim could easily have died without emergency surgery.

“Lee Hart is clearly a very dangerous and unpredictable man and I welcome today’s sentence, which reflects the gravity of the offence.”