A KNIFEMAN who slashed a another man's face, causing a five-inch scar, has been jailed for five years.

Leon Beresford attacked Aquib Khawaja in a Derby flat after subjecting him to a stream of racist abuse.

Mr Khawaja, who worked as a manager for HSBC bank, has given up his job and is receiving counseling as a result of the attack.

Sentencing Beresford, 23, at Derby Crown Court, Judge John Burgess said: "The behaviour you showed that night was aggressive, it was bullying, it was racist. You have a record of nasty attacks on others and already have been deemed to be a dangerous offender. It is quite plain that you are a dangerous offender still."

Judge Burgess said that for this reason, Beresford would be on licence, after his release from jail, for an extended period of three years.

Steve Gosnell, prosecuting, told the court how Beresford, of Foreman Street, Derby, had gone to Joseph Macken's flat in St Anne's Close on June 20.

Mr Macken had two visitors, one of whom was Mr Khawaja, who were "minding their own business, waiting for a takeaway".

The court heard that Beresford had drunk 15 measures of Jack Daniel's and some beer and was acting in a "bizarre and aggressive way".

Mr Gosnell said Beresford used racist abuse and threatened the two men, saying he would get "100 boys" down and blow their flat up. The men tried to calm him down but he went to the kitchen and grabbed a knife.

He then swung the knife towards Mr Khawaja's abdomen but was stopped by Mr Macken, who grabbed his arm. However, he managed to break free and used the knife to slash Mr Khawaja on the left side of his face, from his ear to the corner of his mouth.

Mr Gosnell said: "If it had been one or two inches lower, it would have been to the neck, causing a serious injury."

Mr Khawaja was taken to Derbyshire Royal Infirmary, where he needed stitches.

Mr Gosnell said that before the assault, the victim had been a confident man, who did a lot of face-face work with customers in his job at HSBC.

He said: "He has struggled to come to terms with what happened on that night and the scar he's been left with. He has sought counselling and no longer works for the bank. It is quite clear that the scar is something that troubles him on a daily basis."

Clive Stockwell, for Beresford, who admitted wounding with intent, said there was a background to the situation, although he realised that did not justify the defendant's behaviour. Mr Stockwell said: "Whilst he has been in custody, he has been trying to better educate himself."