A KNIFE fanatic who stabbed his brother's girlfriend in the back after she told him he hadn't the guts to attack anybody has been jailed for 16 months.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Warren Bradshaw, 21, plunged a kitchen knife between victim Victoria Nerney's shoulders and left her with a punctured lung.

Bradshaw, who later handed himself into police, had an alcohol problem which he wanted to kick and his conduct had been a "frightener" to him, the court was told.

Bradshaw was told by Recorder Philip Butler he did things in drink which had the potential to cause death, let alone serious harm to others.

The judge said the defendant had gone into the kitchen and selected the weapon, had come back and used it. Bradshaw, formerly of Burnley, but more recently living in Scotland, had earlier admitted unlawful wounding.

David Temkin, prosecuting, told the court Miss Nerney was the partner of the defendant's brother Jason. A group of people were at a house on Woodbine Road, Burnley, and a lot of alcohol had been consumed.

Bradshaw was trying to pick a row but was being ignored. The conversation turned to his fascination with knives and Miss Nerney commented innocently: "You haven't got the guts to stab anybody."

The defendant got the knife from the kitchen, said: "Who hasn't?" and stabbed her in the back. Miss Nerney was taken to hospital for emergency treatment to a collapsed lung.

She had a chest drain put in and was in hospital four days but was unlikely to suffer any long term effects from her injuries.

Mr Temkin said that the following day police went to recover the knife and Bradshaw surrendered himself to Burnley police station. He was questioned, cautioned and charged and made no reply.

Paul Hague, defending, said Bradshaw, who had significant problems, committed the offence in an act of drunken bravado.

He had had an alcohol problem for years and drank a formidable amount on every occasion. He wanted to stop drinking.