THE KNIFE attack which left a Macclesfield landlord fighting for his life has sealed 17-year-old Anthony Kelly’s fate – locked away indefinitely in a psychiatric care unit.

Knutsford Crown Court heard how Kelly stabbed father-of-four David Sumner with two 7in steak knives – one so deeply the hilt of the knife entered his side and led to the surgical removal of his spleen at Macclesfield Hospital.

At his sentencing, the court heard the incident at the Queens Hotel, on Sunderland Street – and a further unprovoked knife attack on a fellow inmate while in custody at a young offenders institution – took place after Kelly "heard voices" telling him his victims were a threat.

Kelly had pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to commit grievous bodily harm, having an offensive weapon, and grievous bodily harm, at an earlier hearing at Knutsford Crown Court.

In sentencing, Judge Roger Dutton told the defendant, who was flanked by four security guards: "I have no difficulty in concluding that you present an extreme danger to the public.

"Your behaviour is wholly unpredictable and you are likely to explode and use weapons and, as in the case of these incidents, threaten the lives of members of the public who had done nothing wrong.

"You launched murderous attacks on two occasions – one against a defenceless publican."

He added: "Your eventual release, should that happen, can only be authorised by the home secretary at a tribunal and you would be supervised with great care in the community."

John R Oates, Counsel for the Prosecution, told the court Kelly was refused service because he was underage, so swore at the landlord and left.

Mr Oates said Kelly returned later that night and allowed to stay if he didn’t drink alcohol. But after acting "strangely" was repeatedly asked to leave until Mr Sumner, 52, threatened to call the police.

Mr Oates added: "He gave threats, saying he would come back with ‘his boys’ and around midnight, he appeared again, and threatened another customer, Jeffrey Walker, saying ‘I’ve got my boys outside with me now.’"

Mr Oates said Mr Sumner went outside where Kelly was jumping up and down on the pavement behaving "in an excited manner".

"The landlord stood on the step, and Kelly, who had a large knife in each hand, brought the knives together and stabbed Mr Sumner in both sides at the same time. With the knife in his right hand, he stabbed him in his left side, to his ribcage. Mr Sumner immediately fell down."

The other blade hit the door, the court heard.

Mr Oates said Mr Walker then placed himself between Kelly and Mr Sumner, and pushed the teenager off the pub step.

"Kelly held the knives in front of him and shouted ‘I’m going to kill the lot of you,’ before running across the road to the taxi rank, where he got into the second taxi in the queue, with driver Abdulla Ali," added Mr Oates.

He said Kelly held a blade to the 61-year-old driver’s left side and shouted for him to drive to High Street.

Mr Oates said Mr Walker grabbed the keys from the ignition, and waited for Mr Ali to get out before locking all the doors as Kelly then began stabbing the dashboard with the knives.

The taxi driver, whose dashboard still bears the knife scars, is now too scared to drive outside the Macclesfield area, and traumatised Mr Sumner – who will be on antibiotics for the rest of his life – quits his job next month. Mr Sumner spent 12 days in hospital.

The court heard when police arrived Kelly made a number of threats to officers, before getting out of the car with both weapons still in his hands.

Mr Oates told the court: "He refused to drop the knives, and was shouting threats, and threatening to kill the police dogs. They sprayed him with CS gas, and he put the knives down and was arrested."

In interview, Mr Oates said Kelly said he was made angry in the pub, he thought he was going to be assaulted, so took two steak knives back with him to the pub.

"He said he meant to stab Mr Walker but that someone got in his way," he added.

While on remand at Stoke Heath Young Offenders Institution for the attack, the court heard, Kelly had a cooking lesson with six other inmates when they were issued with knives and told to work in pairs.

Mr Oates said Kelly and his partner were engaged in general conversation and seemed to be getting on well.

"But then his partner turned his back to the defendant, and felt a sharp pain in his lower back near to his spine. He immediately turned round and saw Kelly standing close to him," Mr Oates told the court.

He said Kelly stabbed his victim in the left side above the hip and was holding the knife out in front of him.

"His partner tried to get away but burnt himself on the hot cooker. Kelly was continually stabbing him – at least three more times."

Mr Oates added: "Kelly admitted his actions in interview and said he had heard voices telling him to stab the victim because he was dangerous."

His young victim’s life was at risk after his blood pressure dropped dangerously low, and he was in hospital for a week with liver damage.

Consultant psychologist Dr Andrew Clarke said Kelly had an "extremely disadvantaged and troubled background" but his psychological problems developed in the last 18 months, including incidents where he said he heard voices.

Simon Parry, Counsel for the Defence, told the court: "He does have age on his side and intervention at this stage will help him."

He said Kelly had previously been in segregation but that his move to a psychiatric care facility in Bolton, had helped him.

Mr Parry said: "It is not an option the defence offers to the court with much relish, but it is the one which will offer Mr Kelly the most help."

The judge awarded Mr Walker £250 as a token gesture for his "bravery".