A VIOLENT thug has been jailed for ten years after a “horrific” and “appalling” knife attack in Salisbury.

Jason Lee Thorne, 22, admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent in the incident, which took place on June 2 last year.

Winchester Crown Court heard on Wednesday that Thorne, of Rambridge Crescent, Salisbury arranged to meet the victim, his ex-girlfriend’s new partner, in Cow Lane, near London Road, to “sort out their differences”, but went armed with a knife.

Adam Feest, prosecuting, said: “Thorne got the knife out and stabbed and slashed the victim down the right hand side, down his back, opening his body up as deep as his ribs.”

The victim managed to run away but then collapsed and was taken to hospital, where he underwent surgery to repair a number of deep cuts that had gone through muscle tissue, centimetres away from vital organs.

He has since made a full recovery but the court heard it took a number of months and he has been left with scarring.

Fern Russell, defending, said Thorne took the knife to the scene to “scare not to cause harm” and that he didn’t intend to use it and that his actions were driven by jealously.

Sentencing, Judge Keith Cutler said: “The scene you chose could have been seen by anyone. You chose it to be the scene of a horrific and violent attack, and the background was one of jealousy.

“You went along with that knife with you and used it to inflict injuries that were truly appalling. There was a high risk of much more serious injury if not death.”

DI Matt Johnson from Wiltshire Police said: “This was a vicious attack on an unarmed man. The injuries caused were very deep and serious – some of the most horrific I have seen.

“The ten-year sentence reflects the seriousness of this attack and I hope it will have a deterrent effect on anyone else who considers carrying and using a knife.”