A man suffered life-changing injuries when he was attacked by his Sturry flatmate wielding a 5ft long broadsword.

As a result Eamonn Mitchell was left with a scar across his face, his eyesight was damaged and he can no longer shut his left eye.

The attack by Benjamin Davies, 37, has had a massive impact on Mr Mitchell, Peter Forbes, prosecuting, told Canterbury Crown Court.

“He is depressed and gets flashbacks,” Mr Forbes said.

“He used to have regular contact with his son of four but now is worried that he will scare him by his appearance.”

In July Davies admitted wounding Mr Mitchell at the flat they shared in Fairview Gardens, Sturry and the case was adjourned for sentence.

Mr Forbes said Davies and Mr Mitchell had been friends since they were 12 and shared the flat.

They often used to use each other’s mobile phones.

On May 8 they had both been drinking beer and in the evening Mr Mitchell was using Davies’ phone when he came in the room and demanded it back.

An argument started and Mr Mitchell punched Davies twice and kneed him when he was down.

Mr Forbes said Davies took the sword from a wall where it was hanging, raised it up with both hands and brought it down on Mr Mitchell.

“Mr Mitchell brought up his left hand to defend himself but he was struck across the arm, left eye and cheek,” Mr Forbes said.

“He felt extreme pain. He tried to grab the blade with his other hand but Davies pulled the blade away, swung it again and caught Mr Mitchell on the leg.

“Davies left Mr Mitchell in a pool of blood near the sofa. Blood was pouring out of him.”

Mr Forbes said Davies took Mr Mitchell out of the flat and put him on the grass outside.

When the police arrived Davies said he’d arrived home and found intruders had attacked his friend. He gave police a description of them.

In a statement to the court Mr Mitchell said he had changed from being a confident person to one who was scared and jumped at small things.

Davies, who has two young children, had several previous convictions but none for violent offences.

Ian Bond, defending, said Davies felt bullied by Mr Mitchell in his own home.

“Davies left Mr Mitchell in a pool of blood near the sofa. Blood was pouring out of him” - Peter Forbes, prosecuting

He added: “The incident which gave rise to these awful injuries followed an exchange in which Mr Mitchell accepts he punched Davies in the face and kneed him.

“He snapped. He was weaning himself off heroin at the time and felt weak and

bullied. Out of a sense of blind panic he invented the story of the intruder.

"He was living in a flat with someone he was genuinely scared of and acted in an out-of-character way.”

Judge Nigel Van Der Bijl sentenced Davies to five years in prison and told him he would serve half that time.

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