A VIOLENT offender has been jailed for life for stabbing a man five times with a ‘Rambo’ knife when Christmas Day celebrations descended into chaos.

Luke Cashman branded the judge a 'f***ing lunatic' as he was sentenced at Teesside Crown Court for wounding with intent.

The violence erupted when Cashman was visiting his mother’s home and he became involved in a confrontation with two men he didn’t want there as he was with his partner and their young son.

The court heard how the defendant left the house to grab a knife from his car before returning and stabbing his victim five times – twice in the back outside the house on Dinsdale Road, Hardwick, Stockton.

The Northern Echo: Luke CashmanLuke Cashman

Nick Dry, prosecuting, said Cashman asked the pair to leave as he was concerned about their 'intimidating presence' and was annoyed when they refused.

He said the confrontation exploded into violence when the defendant used the 'Rambo' style knife to stab the victim five times before fleeing the scene – leaving his son behind.

The court heard how the victim was taken to hospital for treatment to the stab wounds which 'fortunately' didn't damage any of the vital organs.

Mr Dry said Cashman has multiple previous incidents of violence on his record, including in 2012 when he was jailed for 10 years over a wounding offence in a nightclub involving a glass and a knuckle duster.

Cashman, 31, of Mowbray Grove, Stockton, was initially charged with attempted murder but admitted a lesser charge in court of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm on Christmas Day 2019.

Caroline Goodwin QC, mitigating, said she accepted the incident was a 'shocking offence' but had been concerned about the two men being under the influence and drugs.

In a letter read out to the court, Cashman expressed his remorse for his violent actions that day after struggling to come to terms with his young son's life-threatening illness.

Judge Howard Crowson said: "By good fortune and nothing more no major organs were struck, the result could have been very different."

As he sentenced Cashman to life in prison with a minimum term of eight years in jail.

The sentence prompted a foul-mouthed outburst from the defendant who shouted 'Are you mental mate? Have you read the f***ing facts? He's a f***ing lunatic."

Someone in the public gallery shouted 'this sentence is absolutely bizarre'.