A 16-year-old boy has been jailed for three years after admitting stabbing a rival in a park.

The attack happened in broad daylight at Grosvenor and Hilbert Park in Tunbridge Wells on June 1.

The victim, 18-year-old Tristan Azevedo, was playing football with his friend when he was smashed in the face before being stabbed in the back.

The assault left him critically injured.

He was taken to a London hospital where his condition was described as "serious but stable".

The attacker ­– who cannot be named because of his age – was initially charged with attempted murder but later admitted wounding with intent and possessing a knife in public.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Mr Azevedo suffered a broken jaw and spent 12 days in hospital.

'His voice was raised, his chest puffed out and his fists clenched. He was spoiling for a fight...'

The victim needed needed operations to both his collapsed lung and fractured jaw.

The teenager had confronted Mr Azevedo, who he did not know, after he and his friend had paused for a drink.

Having kicked their football away and across the pitch, he reacted aggressively when the victim confronted him.

Prosecutor Martin Yale said: "The defendant was shouting and asking what his problem was. His voice was raised, his chest puffed out and his fists clenched. He was spoiling for a fight.

"He ran at Mr Azevedo and punched him in the jaw. He then took something from the back of his coat and struck him in his back."

Mr Yale said the victim initially thought he had been punched again but then felt a sharp sensation and struggled to breathe.

"His friend began to give him first aid," he added. "His breathing became worse, he became distressed and he was in a lot of pain."

Mr Azevedo said in a statement that football had been his "huge passion" but he had to spend 12 days in hospital where he also caught shingles and missed out on an academy football tour to Barcelona.

"It leaves me questioning why this happened and why somebody would have a knife on them in broad daylight in a park," he said.

"I have played football for as long as I can remember and it has always been my dream to play professionally.

'I now want to move on from this and hope I can get back to normal and get back to playing football...'

"In hospital, I couldn't think of nothing else but to get out and I asked staff when I might be able to play football again."

Mr Azevedo added that he also had nightmares and insomnia and six weeks after the stabbing had still not played a match.

He was eventually able to train but struggled, feeling "something in my chest isn't right", the court heard.

Saying he had been just "minding his own business" that day, he concluded: "I now want to move on from this and hope I can get back to normal and get back to playing football."

His attacker, from Tunbridge Wells, later revealed he carried a knife for his own protection and on the day of the attack had been "amped up with adrenalin" after watching an unrelated fist-fight between two other boys.

Nick Goss, defending, said the teen was remorseful and apologetic for his "impulsive" behaviour that day and had made "positive progress" while in custody on remand.

Passing sentence, Judge Catherine Moore said only a custodial sentence was appropriate.

She told the teenager the fact he did not know Mr Azevedo made "the dreadful violence all the more senseless".

"He remonstrated with you, asking what you were doing by kicking that ball but instead of accepting it was you in the wrong and apologising, you took exception to being challenged." she said.

"It is plain you had no regard for the impact on others of your actions or the devastating consequences on Mr Azevedo when you inflicted the injuries that you did."

The attacker has been ordered to be detained for three years but will be released in 18 months.