A TEENAGER who stabbed a man through the skull with an eight-inch screwdriver has been jailed for six years.

Victim Barry Dixon has been left partially paralysed down his right side after the ‘vicious’ attack by Joshua Rivers.

Judge Beverley Lunt told Rivers he should be haunted for the rest of his life by what he did.

After the case, police said that while they were satisfied with the sentence, the ‘vicious and unprovoked’ attack was one that Mr Dixon would never recover from.

Mr Dixon, 35, was found with blood pouring from his wounds in St. Philip’s Street, off Redlam, Blackburn, by an off-duty special constable.

He underwent surgery but a bone fragment lodged in his brain had to be left by surgeons as it would have been more dangerous to remove it.

Rivers, 19, of Heaton Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to wounding Mr Dixon with intent following the attack on March 22 this year.

He was sentenced to six years at a Young Offenders Institution. He must also serve another 160 days from a suspended sentence for battery imposed a month before the attack.

Judge Lunt said: “This was an extremely serious attack using a weapon and causing life-threatening injuries. It is only through the skill of doctors that you did not kill this man."

Dennis Watson, prosecuting, told the court Mr Dixon had been living at the Salvation Army hostel in Blackburn for about five months when Rivers also moved in March this year.

Mr Watson said the attacked was sparked as Rivers thought Mr Dixon was supplying drugs to the daughter of his former partner Pamela Hunt.

Pamela hunt was present when the attack took place and started the row by shouting at Mr Dixon, before slapping and punching him in the face, the court heard.

Mr Watson said: “Rivers called Mr Dixon a smack head and told him to get out.

"He stabbed Mr Dixon with the screwdriver twice. The second blow was described as being hard and in a downward movement. Mr Dixon described later feeling the screw driver digging into his head.”

Mr Dixon said in a victim impact statement he felt lucky to be alive and felt he would never be the same person again.

Preston Crown Court heard he had difficulty speaking causing frustration and that he struggled with basic tasks.

Martin Hackett, defending, said: "It was an incident that arose out of nothing. It was not pre-planned or premeditated.”

Judge Lunt said in her view Pamela Hunt should have been in the dock with Rivers.

Speaking after sentencing, the officer in charge of the investigation Detective Sergeant Andy Cribbin said: “This was a vicious and unprovoked attack that has left the victim with life changing injuries. “Whilst we are satisfied with the sentence, we are mindful that the victim will never fully recover and I can only show admiration for the way he has coped throughout this traumatic ordeal.”