A MAN known as “Slasher Tony” has been jailed indefinitely after stabbing a man in the back with a kitchen knife.

Anthony Booth, aged 27, of Radcliffe Road, Darcy Lever, stabbed the innocent man after arguing with him in the Lever Bridge pub in Radcliffe Road.

The 32-year-old victim was out with friends on Saturday, May 30, when he spotted Booth, whom he knew from work.

The man, who was sitting on a bench with his back to the wall, said that he was wary of Booth because he had been present in December, 2003, when Booth knifed a woman, earning his “slasher” nickname.

At about 11.15pm, Booth walked up and tried to squeeze behind the man, but could not get through.

He tried several times to push past, and only walked away after the man asked him to leave him alone.

At the end of the night, however, the victim was in the car park saying goodnight to friends when he felt a blow in his back.

He turned around to see Booth standing there and realised blood was pouring from his back.

Drinkers helped stem the bleeding until the emergency services arrived, and he was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital with a punctured spleen.

Booth stayed at the scene, where he was later arrested with a bloodstained four-inch serrated kitchen knife in his trouser pocket.

Booth pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a bladed weapon in a public place when he appeared at Bolton Crown Court.

He was jailed indefinitely for public protection and must serve a minimum of two-and-a-half years.

He served 12 months for knifing the woman in 2003.

Det Con Rick Armstrong, from Bolton CID, said: “It is a great relief to me and for the community that Booth is behind bars.

“Booth is an extremely dangerous man and we could easily have been dealing with a murder.

“He revelled in the notoriety his previous wrongdoing gave him.

“I am pleased that witnesses in the pub were quick to point him out to us and showed they were not prepared to put up with such abhorrent behaviour.”