A KNIFEMAN who stabbed a man in a high street and threatened a customer at a hotel has been jailed.

James Hedges, 22, formerly of St Lawrence Gardens, Leigh, attacked the man in Rayleigh High Street and stabbed him in the arm.

He previously chased a man at a hotel with a knife and used a fire extinguisher to attempt to break into a room.

He was jailed for two-and-a-halfyears at Basildon Crown Court yesterday.

Prosecuting Oliver Wellings said: “He went to the hotel on August 29, 2020 with a knife and threatened a man there, the background seemed to involve a former partner.

“They gave chase and he also tried to get into a room with a fire extinguisher. The sentence was deferred and then on December 18 in Rayleigh High Street, he attacked another man.

“There was a fight and another had tried to break it up. This defendant swung his arms around and punched the man in his nose causing a bleed.

“He also injured the man with a pocket knife and the victim suffered a wound to his arm.”

Mitigating Nick Bonehill told the court Hedges has a drink problem and lost work after suffering a leg injury in a bike crash.

He said: “He has used drugs but is not addicted to them but it doesn’t assist him having anything in his system when going out.

“He was concerned about further injury to his leg. He had a difficult early start to his life and was in the foster care system.

“He also has anxiety and takes medication and is being assessed for more conditions too.”

Mr Bonehill told the court Hodges felt someone said something to him and it triggered the high street fight.

Sentencing Judge Samantha Leigh said: “You are here for two matters and were given a deferred sentence before.

“You went to the hotel and attacked the man and got out a knife and used the fire extinguisher.

“Then we have the later matters in December where the man suffered a stab wound to his arm and you do have previous convictions.”