A KNIFEMAN has been jailed after he stabbed a cyclist in the back and left him with the blade buried 20 centimetres inside his chest.

Luke Rice targeted the victim in a revenge attack because he claimed he had assaulted him the day before.

He followed him through the centre of Torquay and plunged the large kitchen knife into him up to the hilt.

CCTV showed him calmly walking up to the victim as he stood with his bicycle and chatted to friends. He had no warning and was left with the knife handle sticking out of his back.

Rice then took a few steps back and watched him collapse before telling police that someone else had done it.

The 39-year-old victim was airlifted to hospital for emergency surgery and doctors found the knife had gone in so deep it penetrated one lung, his stomach and his pancreas. He spent a total of three weeks in hospital.

Rice, aged 28, originally from Bridgwater but now of no fixed address, admitted wounding with intent and was jailed for four years and four months by Judge David Evans at Exeter Crown Court.

He imposed a two year, eight months extended licence after declaring him to be a dangerous offender.

He told him: ‘You assert he assaulted you the day before. You were captured on CCTV doing this in full view of by-passers.

‘You stabbed him in the back with a very firm blow and the knife went in up to the hilt before you walked away.

‘On your own account, there was the higher culpability factor of revenge.

‘You seem to take offence when you feel you have been slighted by others and seem to think a violent reaction is fully justified.

‘In this case, it was a matter of good fortune you did not cause more serious injury or even kill him.’

Miss Caroline Bolt, prosecuting, said Rice was staying in a homeless hostel in Factory Row, Torquay, on April 28 this year when the victim knocked on his window while looking for another resident.

Rice refused to help and the victim called him a ‘d**khead’ as he walked away. CCTV showed Rice following with the knife at 1.40 pm and stabbing him without warning.

A victim impact statement said he spent three weeks in hospital, suffered serious back pain, and is now so scared he has moved away from Torbay.

Mr William Parkhill, defending, said Rice has long standing issues of mental health and substance abuse arising from a traumatic childhood. These have led to a chaotic lifestyle, homelessness and several short prison sentences.

He said Rice has succeeded in detoxing while on remand since April and hopes to start afresh when he is released.