Burnley man jailed over Hawick knife attack on friend
A man who attacked his best friend with a knife because he had made sexual jokes about his mother has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.
Terry Bradshaw, 33, from Burnley in Lancashire, admitted the assault on Michael Maxwell in Hawick, in the Scottish Borders, in January.
The High Court in Dundee heard how his victim jumped from a first floor window to try to escape.
Judge Lord Pentland told Bradshaw he was guilty of a "violent offence".
The court heard how Bradshaw had gone to his friend's flat in Hawick's Mayfield Drive on 2 January this year to play computer games, drink and take drugs.
However, Mr Maxwell started making remarks of a sexual nature about Bradshaw's mother.
Bradshaw then attacked him while he was in the bathroom - repeatedly punching him on the head and knocking him to the ground before striking him with a knife.
The court was told his victim could "feel the heat of his blood trickling down the back of his neck".
Mr Maxwell ran to the front door in a bid to escape - but found it locked.
He then managed to squeeze out of a window as he saw Bradshaw coming at him with the knife in his hand.
Defence advocate Neil Taylor said they had been good friends for a period of six or seven months prior to the attack.
"During the morning Mr Maxwell became abusive about Mr Bradshaw's mother and was calling her names," he said.
"He continually made inappropriate remarks and suggestions about his mother of a sexual nature.
"Mr Bradshaw indicates his mother is the one person that he holds dear to him."
He was originally charged with attempted murder but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of assault to severe injury.
Not guilty pleas were accepted on charges of drug possession and supply, as well as of attempting to defeat the ends of justice.
The court also heard Bradshaw had previous convictions for actual bodily harm and robbery.
Lord Pentland jailed him and ordered an extended sentence of three years once he was released from prison.
He told Bradshaw: "This was a violent offence involving the use of a knife that resulted in your victim being severely injured and permanently disfigured."