A 36-year-old man who almost killed a neighbour in a doorstep knife attack has been jailed for six years.

Bradford Crown Court heard how tension grew between Ross Craig and former friend Thompson Young because of problems with men who stayed at Mr Young's flat in Whinfield Close, Keighley.

After being assaulted by one of Mr Young's friends Craig knocked on the door of his property in the early hours and plunged a carving knife into his chest.

Prosecutor Thomas Bayliss said the wound was close to Mr Young's heart and it was only because the blade was deflected by cartilage that the heart was not damaged.

Mr Young underwent emergency surgery and spent several days in intensive care after the attack in June last year. In a statement to the court he said he was still suffering emotionally and physically.

Craig, who lived across the road from Mr Young, was originally charged with attempted murder, but yesterday the Crown accepted his guilty plea to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

His barrister Roger Thomas said he had no previous convictions for violence and stressed that the single blow was aimed at the body and not at the heart.

Judge Alistair McCallum told Craig: "Had the cartilage not deflected the knife blade . . . it could easily have been a murder."

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