A BRAVE neighbour who was stabbed when she intervened in a domestic dispute next door has won the praise of a judge.

The woman was knifed three times by Christopher Garside as she tried to stop him attacking his partner late at night.

She now feels frightened when she leaves her house, panics if people are behind her in a shop or bank, and is unsettled by noise when at home.

The shop worker said: "The puncture wounds could have been worse and are healing, but it is the mental injuries I really struggle with."

Garside had turned up at his girlfriend's Darlington home, smashed a window and was shouting aggressively before being let in.

Once inside, he grabbed the woman, punched her in the side of the head, dragged her around and repeatedly yelled: "I'll f***ing kill you."

Garside put her in a choke-hold and squeezed her windpipe until she briefly passed out, and she later told police: "I thought he was going to kill me. I really thought I was going to die."

The neighbour banged on the door after hearing screams of "help me, help me" and the sound of slaps, and was let in after Garside released his partner.

But the drink- and drug-fuelled 34-year-old flipped again, went to the kitchen and shouted: "I just want to kill somebody."

He came out with a knife with a 20cm blade, and as the neighbour fled, she was chased and stabbed in the shoulder before reaching her own home and barricading herself in.

Teesside Crown Court heard that the drama in Barden Moor Road on April 29 happened after the couple had been to a wedding where they drank and took cocaine and cannabis.

On the way home, they were seen arguing by police and Garside was ordered to go to his home in Clifton Road while officers took his partner to her home.

Shortly afterwards, though, Garside turned up in Barden Moor Road and seemed like he had "totally lost it", said prosecutor Jenny Haigh.

Shaun Dryden, mitigating, said: "The defendant is very apologetic and remorseful and accepts that his behaviour that night was nothing short of appalling.

"He is ashamed of that behaviour although he cannot recall it. It is a blank. He accepts what the women said happened did happen."

Judge Howard Crowson said: "I think [the neighbour] should be commended because it is so easy not to involve yourself with situations. It took great courage to do what she did and she has suffered as a result."

In a statement, she told how she suffered sleepless night and anxiety after the stabbing, and feels unsettled when she hears noises outside.

"I used to think I was a strong and independent person, now the slightest noise unnerves me," the woman said. "I think my character and personality has definitely been affected.

"I feel uncomfortable with people behind me in case they attack when I am not looking. I feel frightened that people are lying in wait, ready to attack.

"If I had heard anyone saying anything like this before, I would have said 'have a word with yourself'. It shows how much my character has changed."

Garside's partner, who suffered swelling to the side of her head and a sore neck, did not provide an impact statement, and would not help the prosecution, said Miss Haigh.

Mr Dryden said despite the woman not willing to assist, Garside deserved credit for still pleading guilty to attacking her.

He admitted unlawful wounding, threatening a person with a bladed article, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, making threats to kill and criminal damage, and was jailed for three years and four months.