A former Keighley pub landlord has told of his fears that a man who stabbed him could be released from prison early and could go on to kill.

Dale Liddon was jailed for life at Bradford Crown Court after a jury found him guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

He was told he must serve three-and-a-half years in prison before his case is considered for parole. If he is released after that period, he will be on licence for life.

After the verdict was announced, it emerged Liddon had been convicted of a similar offence four years ago. On that occasion, Liddon was said to have stabbed a man in the neck with a kitchen knife during a "heated argument".

Latest victim Kevin Maddox was licensee at the Cavendish Hotel when he was stabbed in the stomach. After the incident last March he underwent an exploratory operation, which showed that fortunately none of his organs had been damaged.

This week Mr Maddox, who is no longer in the licensing trade, spoke exclusively to the Keighley News about the sentence imposed last Friday on 39-year-old Liddon.

He said: "To get sentenced for life is what he deserves. It is fair enough but he won't serve that long. If they give people a sentence they shouldn't let them out sooner.

"It does worry me that he could apply for parole after just three and a half years. When you look at what he's done he could go on to kill.

"At the end of the day he had just got out of prison for five years for doing something much worse to someone else. He didn't learn his lesson that time so who's to say it couldn't happen again? He added: "It's not easy but you can't let something like this ruin your life -- you have to get on with things as best you can and I am trying to put it behind me." During last week's three-day trial, the jury heard how Liddon was pushed out of the Cavendish Hotel, in Cavendish Street, when he became aggressive with the licensee after his friend was told to leave because he was barred.

But Liddon returned to the premises and lunged at Mr Maddox, stabbing him in the stomach.

Giving evidence, Mr Maddox told the jury he pushed Liddon out of the door and told him to go home.

But the court heard Liddon came towards him with something in his hand. Mr Maddox said he hit him in the face but then realised he had blood on his shirt while Liddon was laid on the pavement holding a knife with a three-inch long blade.

Liddon, of Church Street, Keighley, admitted to police he stabbed Mr Maddox but said he did not mean to do it, claiming he was acting in self-defence.

He also pleaded guilty to a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm after he butted a police officer while in custody after his arrest.

Liddon's barrister, Sara Dodds, said he had stayed out of trouble for 15 months after he was released from his last sentence in 2001 and tried very hard to put things right. She added it was clear that he had difficulties with drugs.

Sentencing, Judge Geoffrey Kamil told Liddon it was quite clear the jury came to the conclusion he was "spoiling for trouble".

He told him he had committed a "deliberate attack with a vicious, vicious weapon" on Mr Maddox.