‘Dangerous’ Fredrick Ward has been jailed for six years after nearly killing one of his friends by stabbing him in the neck.
He was also given a three-year extended parole licence which places him at risk of being returned to jail until September 2022.
Ward (35), of Chestnut Avenue, Spalding, admitted wounding John Neild with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm on December 9 2012.
Judge Michael Heath described Ward as dangerous and told him: “You are extremely fortunate that he did not suffer fatal injuries. It is almost a miracle that you didn’t kill him.”
Jonathon Dee, prosecuting, said the stabbing occurred after Mr Neild and another friend went to collect Ward from his home as they planned to take him out to cheer him up.
Ward sat in the rear seat of the car behind Mr Neild and then suddenly stabbed him in response to a remark.
Mr Dee said: “The complainant felt a blow to the side of his neck.
“He was aware of blood gushing from a wound. It was obvious he had been stabbed.
“Mr Neild got out of the car and they went to a nearby house for towels to stem the flow of blood until the ambulance arrived. The complainant thought he was dying.”
Mr Dee said that the stab wound cut through an artery and Mr Neild lost so much blood he later had to undergo a transfusion.
Hal Ewing, defending, said that at the time of the incident Ward was depressed after suffering the loss of a leg following a motorcycle accident.
He said Ward regretted what happened.
“It was not a repeated assault. It was only one blow. It reflects a momentary loss of control.
“His two friends went to his house to see him and to take him out to try to cheer him up.
“He does not understand why he lost control in the way he did.
“It would seem a comment was made simply as a joke but it was a comment which clearly upset Mr Ward and led to a reaction he accepts was completely beyond any reaction that could be justified.
“He knows what he did was utterly wrong.”