A STAB attack at a house party which almost killed a budding young soldier has destroyed his life, a court heard yesterday, as his assailant was given an extended ten and-a-half year sentence.

The 19-year-old victim, who had hopes of joining the Army, spent six weeks in a medically induced coma after being stabbed in the abdomen by Dwayne Turner.

The blow injured his small and large bowel and four weeks after being admitted to Middlesbrough’s James Cook University Hospital doctors told his family there were no guarantees he would survive.

He is now required to use a colostomy bag, suffered substantial scarring and experiences flashbacks and hallucinations.

Turner approached the victim with a kitchen knife, stabbing him to the left hand side of his body after an incident between the pair at a party in Brafferton Street, Hartlepool, on January 29 this year, and told him: “I don’t know who the f*** you think you are.”

Prosecuting at Teesside Crown Court, Jenny Haigh said the complainant was mocked by some of the party goers and responded by calling them a “pack of dings”.

The remark annoyed Turner who started to punch the victim. As the pair grappled the teenager threw what he said was a lucky punch and bloodied Turner’s nose.

Ms Haigh said the victim had not wanted to get into a fight or cause any further trouble and when Turner invited him into a back yard to talk he assumed he was about to shake his hand.

But he in fact was holding a small kitchen knife he had picked up and stabbed him for what the victim said was no reason at all.

The teenager staggered to a nearby house to seek help and the police and an ambulance were called.

While in hospital the victim’s condition deteriorated after he contracted an infection and he required urgent surgery, spending 65 days in intensive care.

In a statement the 19-year-old said his life had been destroyed and he was no longer able to function as a normal human being.

He said: “I feel so angry with Turner and what he did. This incident has changed me so much and I now no longer have the same outlook on life.”

He said he had to use a wheelchair for several months when he left the house and could now only walk short distances. He was also due to undergo further surgery next year and was undergoing counselling for anger issues and depression.

The victim’s mother, who was in court to see Turner sentenced, said: “I don’t know if Turner will ever understand the damage he has done and the impact on (her son's) family and friends.”

Turner, 24, of Friendship Lane, Hartlepool, admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The court heard he had 45 convictions for 95 offences, including robbery, assault, possession of a knife, criminal damage and breaching an Asbo.

He said he had been drinking and taking ecstasy on the night of the stabbing and claimed he had picked the knife up out of fear for himself.

His barrister Stephen Constantine said: “His memory overall of that evening is very sketchy. He tells me he is shocked at his own behaviour and appalled at the results of it.

“He apologises, although he knows an apology may bring little or no comfort and if he could turn the clock back he would.”

Judge Simon Phillips told Turner: “For 76 days his (the victim’s) family attended at hospital by his bedside fearing he would not survive, all of that brought about by your criminality.

“What you did that day was life changing for him and his family.”

The judge said the previously outgoing victim had likely seen the door close on his chances of joining the Army because of the unprovoked attack.

He said having considered all of the reports, Turner was considered to be a very high risk of causing serious harm.

Because of this he was made subject of an extended sentence, consisting of a seven and-a-half year jail term and a prison licence period of three years.