A YOUNG man who brandished a knife during a family argument was jailed for four years after he lashed out at a relative.

Jonjo York caused only minor injuries to his victim but a judge told him the 12-inch kitchen knife could have killed him.

York, 22, from Shildon, County Durham, left the scene of the dispute and went home - but prepared for a confrontation.

When his relative turned up and threw a wheelie-bin at him, York charged into the street and used the knife on him once.

Judge Howard Crowson, at Teesside Crown Court, told him: "The consequences were not nearly as severe as they might have been.

"When one wields a knife like that, there is a risk of real serious harm indeed, and even death.

"The knife was wielded with quite deliberate intent to cause a lot more harm that it actually caused."

York, of no fixed address, admitted a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm at an earlier hearing.

Peter Kilgour, mitigating, told the court yesterday (Monday, November 23) that he had shown remorse immediately by making a telephone call.

He said there had been "an element of provocation" before York launched the knife attack.