TWO thugs who left a man fighting for his life in a planned late-night stabbing have both received lengthy jail terms.

And a judge has commended a passing kebab delivery driver who stopped to help the stricken victim, driving him to hospital following the brutal attack.

Jamaal Mortimer got eight years and Jordan Huby, six years and eight months for the vicious attack launched shortly before midnight on July 14 last year.

George Threlfall, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court the victim, who knew 22-year-old Mortimer, was in Grange Park and saw a group of men on Sudeley Way.

The gang of three crossed the road towards him close to the Grindal Drive junction, he said, and Mortimer make a gesture as if to fist bump.

But then he made a quick move forward causing the victim to turn away. “With that he felt two swift blows to his back and he knew immediately he had been stabbed, though he hadn’t seen a knife,” Mr Threlfall said.

The victim fell to the ground and more blows rained on him, with Huby, 19, repeatedly kicking him in the face and head, knocking out a tooth.

He repeatedly tried to get to his feet, but he kept being knocked back down, before he was stabbed again. One of the attackers then said: “He’s had enough,” as the three, one of whom has never been caught, fled the scene. A householder was woken by the sound of men’s voices and heard one saying he stabbed the victim twice and another once.

A taxi driver, whose fare told him to keep driving, said he had seen many fights and it was one of the worst.

Mr Threlfall said “The Good Samaritan in this case was an assistant in a kebab shop Mehmet Sanc, who was in Grange Park after making a delivery. He saw a man laying face down on the ground. He stopped his car and went to ask the man if he was all right.”

The victim asked for help saying he had been stabbed. Mr Sanc got him into his car, which ended up covered in blood and drove him to the Great Western Hospital. He was given a transfusion and transferred to Southmead major trauma unit in Bristol, where he received more blood, before being moved again to Bristol Royal Infirmary.

The court heard he had a total of eight pints of blood, suffered a collapsed lung, and an infection as a result of the wounds.

When police searched the area the following day an orange handled kitchen knife belonging to Huby’s mum Helen was found in the street. Mortimer was arrested first and he claimed he had been at his friend’s house all night. But when Huby was questioned he said they, along with a man he knew only as Lewis, had gone out to rob the victim after agreeing to buy cocaine from him, although he denied being a drug dealer.

Mortimer, of Turney Drive, and Huby, of Denburgh Street, admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possessing a bladed article.

Tony Bignall, for Mortimer, said his Jamaican-born client had been jailed in the past for knifepoint robberies and wants to go straight when he comes out after becoming a father.

Daren Samat, for Huby, said while his client, who grew up in care, had previous convictions they were not for violence and what happened was out of character. He was armed with a knife that night but had not used it to stab the victim.

Jailing them Judge Robert Pawson said: “The starting point for this is 12 years, the range is nine to 16 years.

“It is an incredible waste of a substantial part of your young lives, but you could have killed that man. It is a matter of luck not judgement you didn’t.

“The reason that the general public has an increasing awareness and total abhorrence of people carrying knives in the street is cases just like this.”

The judge said the Good Samaritan should receive an award for stepping in to help the stricken man when others did not. “Mehmet Sanc should receive £250 from public funds and a commendation from the High Sheriff for the conspicuous decency that he showed that night.

“Others would have driven past. Mehmet Sanc behaved in the most commendable manner.”

DC Mike Armishaw, from Swindon CID, said: “This case highlights how seriously both the police and the courts are taking knife crime.

“This was a brutal attack, which left the victim in a serious condition, requiring extensive medical treatment. Luckily, he went on to make a good recovery, but it could very easily have had a much more tragic outcome.

“We hope this sends a message to anyone who is considering carrying or using a knife – we are actively working to tackle knife crime in our communities and will take action against those who are blighting our communities in this way.

“We would also like to join the Judge in praising the quick-thinking passing delivery driver, who found the victim bleeding heavily and undoubtedly saved his life by taking him to hospital.”