TWO men have been jailed for a total of more than 12 years after subjecting a Winchester man to a horrifying attack.

Brian Butt was stabbed four times in his flat after Neil Jerrim and James Allen forced their way in, kicking and punching him into submission.

Allen brandished a knife at the terrified victim, saying: "I've got ten weeks to live. I've got nothing to lose. I'll kill you if I have to.''

Prosecutor Charles Thomas told Southampton Crown Court that Mr Butt, 58, became increasingly concerned and realised he would have to do something after a ring was prised from his finger and a demand was made for his PIN number.

He tried to escape but failed and his head was pushed into the sofa. He then felt what he thought were four punches to his back and side. In fact they were stab wounds delivered by Allen.

The men panicked, abandoned electrical goods they had stashed by the front door and rushed out of the flat in Staple Gardens to a nearby car park, where they abandoned gloves with their DNA on them and a bloodstained scarf.

Mr Thomas then described how police chased them from the outskirts of Winchester towards Twyford but lost them.

Jerrim was arrested a few days later in an Astra stolen on the same night as the burglary.

Allen was detained nearly a fortnight later, asking police. "Please tell me, is he dead or not?"

In addition to the stab wounds, Mr Butt suffered two black eyes, a cut above his eyes and on a cheek as well as facial bruising. He was discharged from hospital after a couple of days but continued to have eye problems and had to consult his doctor for several weeks.

Jerrim, 29, of Barrowdown Gardens, Townhill Park, Southampton, and Allen, 27, from Blackpool, admitted burglary and the aggravated taking and driving away of an Astra.

Jerrim also admitted causing grievous bodily harm and taking and driving away another Astra. He was jailed for four and a half years. He was also disqualified from driving for three years.

Allen, who also pleaded guilty to wounding Mr Butt with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, was jailed for eight years.

Passing sentence at Southampton Crown Court, Judge David Griffiths said: "It was by pure chance and good fortune that he wasn't more severely injured or worse.''

Hearing their sentences, the defendants smiled at each other and clasped hands.

In mitigation for Jerrim, David Jenkins said his problem had been an addiction to heroin but at the time of the offence he had got off the drug.

Robin Kitchen, in mitigation for Allen, said the stabbing happened on the spur of the moment.

After the hearing, Mr Butt said: " I really thought I was going to die.

"You don't realise how much something like this gets into your mind. Now I lock the door as soon as it gets dark and I've got myself a dog which barks as soon as she hears the gate open.

" It's only in the last month I've been able to stop my heart racing.''