A 29-year-old who stabbed a man 'who showed him nothing but kindness' 12 times in the jaw, arm, neck and kidneys has been jailed.

Lindsay Harkin, who sometimes used the aliases Lindsey Parker and Joey Harkin, was sentenced at Preston Crown Court after pleading guilty to three counts of wounding with intent, robbery and possession of a blade.

The charges relate to an incident on Wednesday July 1 at a house on Lower Hollin Bank Street in Blackburn.

Lancashire Telegraph:

The court heard how police officers were called at around 7.50pm to the house, where they found 35-year-old victim Damien Berry with stab wounds to his head, neck and arm.

Mr Berry was taken to hospital where he received extensive treatment for the injuries, which prosecutor, Francis McEntee, said had a profound effect on the victim as he now 'suffers panic attacks, can't sleep and experiences proper nightmares'.

Lancashire Telegraph:

READ MORE > Watch CCTV and listen to 999 call after brutal stabbing *WARNING: graphic footage*

Mr McEntee said: "Mr Berry returned to his home address after leaving hospital but had a real fear of people going to attack him and so removed himself entirely from the Blackburn area to Yorkshire.

"He trusts no-one and faces battles on a daily basis.

"In his victim personal statement he admitted he was a man with difficulties, and had moved to Blackburn to start a new life and had started to make the house on Lower Hollin Bank Street a home.

"He said 'I will help anyone and have a kind and caring nature. I helped out Joey and can't believe he attacked me. I gave him clothes and food from my cupboard'."

The court was told how Harkin, originally from Northern Ireland, had befriended Mr Berry, and on the day of the attack was socialising with him and another woman, Rachel Walsh, at Mr Berry's house.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Harkin had accepted clothes and food from Mr Berry, but in a turn of events, fuelled by drugs and alcohol, he robbed his victim of £55 cash and his bank card, and proceeded to stab him several times with a large kitchen knife before fleeing the address.

Police made a public appeal for witnesses and asked for help in finding the defendant.

Harkin was eventually arrested and originally charged with attempted murder, which was later downgraded to GBH with intent.

Defending Harkin, Anna Chestnut said her client had faced immense difficulties himself in his childhood which he described as being 'devoid of love'.

She said: "He fled Northern Ireland for his own safety and tried to start a new life over here in 2016, but failed to find work and then found himself homeless and became a habitual drug user.

"He realises how harmful his actions have been and is remorseful, admits he has issues with emotional control and anger management, and wants to break the cycle of violence and drug use."

Lancashire Telegraph:

Judge Simon Medland said he considered Harkin to be a dangerous offender.

He said: "You caused a life threatening injury to a man who showed you nothing but kindness, you had a large kitchen knife and robbed him of his possessions; you have a significant criminal record and are considered a dangerous offender."

Harkin, who has three previous convictions for assault occasioning actual bodily harm, convictions for battery and robbery, and a conviction for GBH which he was sent to prison for when he was 19, as well as domestic violence, was sentenced to 12 years - nine in custody and upon release an extra three on extended license.