A MARTIAL arts expert leapt into action to keep a thug at bay until police arrived, despite being stabbed several times.

Neil Stavers, a black belt in jujitsu, a brown belt in aikido and a blue belt in judo, was stabbed after he intervened when he saw a man punch a pregnant woman at a Metro station.

Mr Stavers, who had his seven-year-old daughter with him, used a powerful throat-hold to restrain 19-year-old Antonio Harle after he attacked the woman.

But Harle's girlfriend had a knife and he took it from her and repeatedly stabbed Mr Stavers in the thigh in front of commuters on Gateshead Stadium Metro platform.

Even then, the 34-year-old joiner tightened his hold on Harle and used his martial arts training to restrain him until police arrived and arrested him and his girlfriend, Marie Marron.

Mr Stavers said: "I went over because I thought it was right, and I would have no hesitation in doing the same thing again."

At Newcastle Crown Court last week, Harle, 19, of Anson Place, Newbiggin Hall Estate, Newcastle, admitted unlawfully wounding Mr Stavers, and a further charge of assaulting Kim Wylie on July 20 last year.

Marron, 18, of Corrofell Gardens, Felling, Gateshead, admitted affray.

The pair will return to court for sentencing at a date to be arranged.

Mr Stavers suffered five inch-long stab wounds, and although there were no lasting injuries, he was scarred for life.