THE horrific breach of trust that saw a 68-year-old stabbed by a homeless man he felt sorry for is a sad and sorry tale that will make at least one man think twice before he acts the good Samaritan again.

Peter Cottrell let Hamid Mahmood into his home after encountering him at Bradford Interchange and invited him to stay for a couple of days.

Sadly, when he refused to give Mahmood money for drugs, the younger man reacted and stabbed him in the arm, leaving him badly wounded, and took his wallet, demanding his PIN number first.

The seven-year sentence handed down will hopefully act as a deterrent for those who carry knives and are prepared to use them.

But this case once again shows how dangerous the combination of desperation and these weapons can be, and it is time those caught simply carrying knives are given stronger sentences.

They are too easy to get hold of, and anyone who is carrying one, even if they are determined that it is simply for show, will always have the temptation to use it.

Mr Cottrell should be praised for being willing to take this man into his home, but it is unlikely he would be willing to do it again.

And it shows how dangerous addiction to drugs can make the people who are in their snare.

Hopefully it won’t put off too many good Samaritans acting to help vulnerable people in the future, but it surely must sound a cautionary note about the risks of opening up your home to people who you don’t know at all, wherever you have met them.