A CONVICTED knife-carrier has been jailed for ten years for repeatedly stabbing a man while his mother was attacking him with a chain.

Liam Rainey was originally charged with attempting to murder his victim after knifing him three times at flats in Bradford’s Holme Wood and leaving him with life-threatening injuries.

This week, Rainey, 30, of St Margaret’s Avenue, Holme Wood, was labelled a dangerous offender and locked up at Bradford Crown Court on a video link to HMP Leeds.

Judge Andrew Hatton meted out a 15-year extended sentence with a ten-year custodial term and a five-year licence period. Rainey will serve at least two thirds of the ten years behind bars.

He pleaded guilty to unlawfully and maliciously wounding the victim at his home on October 27 last year with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm and possession of a kitchen knife. The Crown entered a Not Guilty verdict on the charge of attempted murder.

Rainey’s mother, Rosemary Hamilton, 57, of Heysham Drive, Holme Wood, admitted the lesser offence of unlawful wounding and was jailed for two years and eight months.

Prosecutor Ian Howard said mother and son went to the victim's flat at 11.15am to accuse a woman there of stealing Hamilton’s phone and credit card the previous night.

Rainey had a knife with him but the prosecution accepted that Hamilton was not at first aware of that. She was shouting and kicking at a communal door when the victim came out of his home and took up a chain used to fasten up the bins.

Hamilton, who had been drinking, went towards him and he pushed a bin in front of her to keep her away and then fended her off with his hand.

Rainey, who had been waiting in the garden with the knife, then attacked the victim, striking him with the weapon. His mother got hold of the chain and tried to assault the victim with it, Mr Howard said.

The pair then ran off and neighbours called the police who recovered the knife from the hallway.

The victim had sustained three stab wounds under his left arm, one of which was bleeding heavily.

He was taken to Leeds General Infirmary where his condition was described as ‘critical and life-threatening.’ There was internal bleeding between his lung and chest wall and the almost complete collapse of the lower part of his left lung.

He was transferred to St James Hospital in Leeds and a chest drain was inserted for two days. He was discharged four days later.

Rainey had eight previous convictions for 13 offences, including assault, threatening behaviour and possession of a knife.

Hamilton had convictions for dishonesty matters, breach of the peace and assault.

Her barrister, Jeremy Barton, said she was small and slightly built and played little part in the actual violence, although she was ‘part and parcel’ of the joint incident.

Hamilton did not know her son had a knife at the beginning of the incident and the chain she used was not a dangerous weapon.

She had suffered with depression and anxiety over the years and had issues with drugs and alcohol. She now drank rarely and had sought medical help for her problems.

Shelia Whitehead, for Rainey, said he went to his mother’s aid and did not shy away from his responsibility.

He had issues with his mental health and was suffering with psychosis at the time. While in prison he would address his problems to ensure he did not appear before the courts again.

Judge Hatton said Rainey’s substantial kitchen knife had a blade 18cms in length. He held it high in his right hand and repeatedly stabbed the victim while Hamilton got the chain and acted together with her son in the violence.

The injuries sustained were life-threatening but it must be assumed that the victim recovered well after receiving prompt and excellent medical care. He had declined to make a victim personal statement.

Hamilton had joined in the attack and could not have failed to see her son had a knife. It was her argument and she ‘enthusiastically’ encouraged the violence to continue, Judge Hatton said.

A restraining order without limit of time bans both defendants from contacting their victim.