A doorman had to have his hand glued back together after being slashed with a knife in Newcastle city centre.
Shaun Mair pulled a four inch blade out of his pocket after being ejected from The Yard Bar. Newcastle Crown Court heard how bouncers at the venue had been struggling to get the intoxicated 54-year-old to leave the premises on Scotswood Road.
The victim, who was working at nearby bar Switch, was attacked by Mair after trying to help them out.
Ellen Wright, prosecuting, said the man had placed his arm around Mair and started to walk him away from the bar. As he turned around to walk away from him, he heard one of his colleagues shout "S*** he's got a knife!"
The prosecutor told the court: "The defendant started walking towards (the victim) and the other bouncers. He was holding the knife at around hip height, his arm was tense. The blade of the knife was facing in the direction of the door staff."
Ms Wright said it appeared to the victim that Mair was ready to use the knife and he initially stepped back, before deciding to take action.
She said he picked up a chair from an outside seating area and decided to use the legs of the chair to push the defendant away from him. Ms Wright said: "He was concerned that the defendant would use the knife."
The court in Newcastle heard how the Mair swung his arms in the direction of victim and it appeared to him that he was to slash him with the knife.
Ms Wight said: "(The victim) realised he had a cut to his right hand. He believes that the injury was caused by the defendant as he sung his arms towards him with the knife in his hand.
"A number of bouncers tried to restrain the defendant on the ground and get the defendant to release the knife but he wouldn't let go. The bouncers went to radio to ask for police assistance.
"The bouncers present at the scene had to spent a couple of minutes trying to get the knife off the defendant."
The court heard how the victim went to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead for medical assistance, following the incident on October 28 last year, and a doctor had to glue his hand back together.
In a victim impact statement, the victim said he felt "very shocked" by the incident and the fact he has been stabbed by an unknown person. He said: "This incident doesn't only affect me but also my partner and children.
"I know that my partner will worry about my safety every time I go to my place of work. It's been playing on my mind that I could have been really seriously injured by the actions of this person."
Mair, of Winsor Avenue, Gateshead, pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and possession of a bladed article.
Jamie Adams, defending, told the court that Mair, who has four children and two grandchildren, has suffered from drink dependency since he was 18 years old. He said he had pleaded guilty to the offences at the earliest opportunity at the Magistrates' Court
He said: "It's shocking for him as well because he's struggling to understand how it has brought himself to his offence. He isn't naturally wanting to harm anybody. He normally goes about his business having a drink and wading his way home and spending the rest of the night by himself, because he does live alone as you can see.
"What I'm essentially saying here is this wasn't a young man walking around with a knife ready to use it. He didn't produce it until the very end, but then that's the danger of someone carrying a knife."
Judge Tim Gittins told Mair that he produced a retractable combat style knife with a blade of about four inches long. He said: "Something that's usually carried by younger males. Why you, aged 54, resorted to carrying one is beyond me.
"It's clear that even in your state of intoxication you knew you had that weapon and were intent on using it.
"You came at the door staff in a busy public area to confront them. You had the knife pointing towards them at waist height and it took some skills and bravery by Mr Wilson and others to prevent you from using that knife disarm you."
The judge said he refused to give the knife up, waved it about and caught the victim across his hand.
He added: "Such an event has a clear psychological affect on not just the victim you injured but the people who witnessed what you did and his wider family."
Mair was sentenced to 18 months behind bars.
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