A KNIFEMAN who slashed his victim's face when he brandished an eight-inch blade at a late night party has been warned he is facing jail.

Alan Dixon, 39, left a seven centimeter wound on Darren Wolfe's cheek when he went "berserk" in the kitchen at the party in Cossack Terrace, Sunderland, on October 5 last year.

The injury needed 20 stitches.

Dixon, of Thirlmoor, Blackfell, Washington, denied wounding with intent and told jurors at Newcastle Crown Court he could remember nothing about what happened that night.

The court heard Dixon claimed terrifying behaviour may have been as a result of his drink being spiked earlier in the evening.

But jurors found him guilty of the charge and a judge warned him custody is almost inevitable.

Mr Recorder John Aitken adjourned the case for the preparation of a pre-sentence and psychological report.

But the judge warned: "You must understand it is the overwhelming likelihood you will receive a custodial sentence."

Dixon was granted conditional bail until his case is back in court.

Prosecutor Carl Gumsley had told the court how Mr Wolfe had known Dixon since schooldays but had not chatted to him when he arrived at the party that night.

Mr Gumsley told jurors: "Mr Wolfe went in the kitchen and was there talking to various people, as one does at parties.

"He had been there for about 10 minutes when this defendant walked in.

"He went to the kitchen drawer and from the drawer he retrieved a kitchen knife.

"He brought it out and began to stab out and slash about and shout various things like 'come on, come on'.

"He seemed to be doing this to a number of people then finally slashed out towards the face of Mr Wolfe.

"When Mr Wolfe went to touch his face it was bleeding and he had a wound to it."

Mr Wolfe told jurors how he was just standing around talking at the party when Dixon started going "berserk".

Mr Wolfe said: "He came into the kitchen , I had been in there about 10 minutes or something.

"He looked about and all of a sudden he went berserk and went for the kitchen drawer.

"He was squealing.

"He pulled a knife out and he started waving it all over.

"It was a big kitchen knife, the blade was about eight inches.

"He was screaming.

"When he started going berserk I just thought 'what is he doing'.

"It was a small kitchen and I was the one who got caught with it.

"He was just swinging it all about, he could have caught any one of us.

"I heard someone say 'he's caught Wolfie' and I touched my face and saw blood.

"Some people jumped on him and then someone grabbed the knife out of his hand.

"I was in shock, I got a t-towel off someone and put it over the cut."

The court heard party-goers managed to get the knife off Dixon.

Mr Wolfe was taken to hospital for treatment to the seven centimetre laceration.