Luke Cashman: 'Rambo' knife-man had a history of violence

Luke Cashman plunged a 'Rambo' knife into his victim five times when trouble flared at his mother's house.

The 31-year-old was initially charged with attempted murder but admitted a lesser charge in court of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

On Friday at Teesside Crown Court, he was sentenced to life imprisonment and told he would serve a minimum of eight years before he would be considered for parole.

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'.

During the hearing, it emerged that Cashman was on licence at the time of the stabbing after being sentenced to ten years after carrying out a brutal revenge attack in a pub in Yarm alongside his father in 2012.

Luke Cashman in 2012

His father Jason, who was also jailed for ten years, stood guard at the door of the toilets in The Keys, in Yarm, while his son attacked the man.

• More news: Pub 'bloodbath' revenge attackers jailed for ten years​

His son then attacked a man who tried to intervene and struck him with a glass leaving him covered in cuts to the head.

Welcoming the life sentence, Detective Inspector Lou Sproson, of Cleveland Police, said: “Luke Cashman is a dangerous individual who stabbed a man and left him with severe injuries on Christmas Day. Despite the severity of these injuries, fortunately the man’s life was able to be saved by skilled medical staff.

“The consequences of knife crime can cause unimaginable tragedy to victims and their families as well as impacting on communities. We won’t tolerate any kind of knife crime in Cleveland.

“I welcome the sentence handed to Luke Cashman, it shows that anyone who picks up a knife and uses it risks a lengthy custodial sentence.

“Another dangerous criminal has now been removed from our streets.”