A NOISY 'lodger' who slashed his landlord across the face with a large kitchen knife has been jailed for 16 months.

Ermiyas Zekaryas left his victim needing stitches to his nose when he lashed out at him with the knife after being asked to keep the noise down.

And the 23-year-old, who was paying his rent in drugs, went on the run for 18 months after admitting carrying out the assault in the summer of 2012.

Rob Welling, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court that Zekaryas was staying at the flat of 37-year-old Lee Johnson in Brain Court, on Bunce Road, Stratton.

"For the payment of crack cocaine and heroin Mr Johnson would allow Mr Zekaryas to stay at his address," he said.

"For five days things seemed to go well. Mr Johnson was very concerned about noise around his flat.

"He lived in an around elderly people and was concerned about complaints and didn't want to lose the residence.

"He was concerned Mr Zekaryas was up to no good and said 'Anything you do, you do away from the flat'."

One Sunday, July 8, 2012, he said the defendant got back in the early hours and was making a lot of noise, banging doors and being very loud.

"Mr Johnson asked him to stop being rude and the reaction from Mr Zekaryas was to stamp his feet on the floor," said Mr Welling.

"He said 'You worried about your neighbours?' and he stamped his feet on the floor and slammed the doors. There was a verbal argument and he said 'I give you stuff to let me stay here'."

He said Mr Johnson snapped at the provocation and threw a punch at the burly six footer in a bid to get him to leave and he fell on to a sofa.

Zekaryas then grabbed a knife with a ten-inch blade which was on the piece of furniture and lashed out with it.

"The next thing Mr Johnson realises is the knife is brought up and slices him across the nose, blood immediately poured out. The defendant said 'S***, sorry mate. S***'."

He then fled the flat leaving his victim who was taken to hospital where he needed about 30 sutures and six nylon stitches in the wound, leaving a permanent scar.

Zekaryas, who gave the court an address in Acton, West London, pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful wounding and failing to surrender to custody.

After admitting the allegation on the day of trial in summer 2013 his case was adjourned for a presentence report but he never turned up at probation and went on the run.

Srikantharajah Nereshraaj, defending, said his client had buried his head in the sand after not attending to be sentenced in September 2013.

He said he was now in custody in London facing charges relating to drug dealing so a jail term was the only option open to the court.

Before coming to Swindon in 2012 he said his client had planned to start a degree at London Metropolitan University having passed eight GCSEs and an IT access course.

He said his client, who had done the equivalent of about nine months on remand before pleading guilty, hoped to return to his education when he is released from prison.

Jailing him, Recorder Ian Lawrie QC said: "It is just fortunate you just slashed his nose and did no great harm."

Detective Constable Adam Leakey, of Swindon CID, said: “I am pleased with the sentence given out to Zekaryas, which reflects the seriousness of his crime. However, his victim will have to live with the scars of the injury he had inflicted on him forever.

“This was a nasty attack which could have had a far worse outcome for the victim. Wiltshire Police does not tolerate this kind of violent behaviour and this sentence underlines this. I hope this sentence sends out a clear message that violence of this nature is not acceptable.”