A Toothill man who posed as a parcel deliveryman before slashing a house-sitter in the neck faces a lengthy spell behind bars.

Appearing before Swindon Crown Court on Friday morning via Bullingdon prison, Barry Gaff, 48, of Beaulieu Close, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and possession of a bladed article.

Defence advocate Emma Handslip asked for the case to be adjourned for psychiatric and pre-sentence reports.

Remanding Gaff in custody, Judge Peter Crabtree said: “The probation report goes to length of sentence given the circumstances of this case, but I’m content risk needs to be assessed and psychiatrically assessed.”

He will be sentenced on December 11.

At an earlier hearing, magistrates heard Gaff had knocked at a flat in Crawford Close, Freshbrook, on Thursday, September 3, posing as a parcel deliveryman.

It was said he hit his victim, who was house sitting at the flat, over the head with a brick wrapped in bin bags then slashed at his neck with a Stanley knife.

The victim, a 31-year-old man, suffered slash wounds to his neck and head injuries. He was taken to hospital.

The crown prosecutor at the magistrates’ court, Emma Charleton, said: "The Crown say this is a very serious offence. It is effectively very, very lucky that did not connect with an artery and the result being either death or very serious injury."

The stabbing is one of a number in west Swindon in recent months. Last week, an 18-year-old man was stabbed in the arm and the leg outside Tesco in Toothill. And on Thursday, 28-year-old Shane Bishop was jailed for two years and one month after he admitted stabbing another man in flats in Beaulieu Close, Toothill.