AN Ipswich man who stabbed his friend for making derogatory comments about his girlfriend has been jailed.Darren Tibbles was sent to prison for eight months for stabbing Russell Nunn with a steak knife.

AN Ipswich man who stabbed his friend for making derogatory comments about his girlfriend has been jailed.

Darren Tibbles was sent to prison for eight months for stabbing Russell Nunn with a steak knife.

Robert Sadd, prosecuting at Ipswich Crown Court, said the men had been drinking heavily at Nunn's home when Mr Nunn began making unfavourable remarks about Tibbles' partner.

Mr Sadd said: “This defendant lost his temper and took a small steak knife and stabbed him in the back of his leg.”

The court heard that although the wound bled quite heavily it was treated with a few stitches and no permanent injury was caused.

Tibbles, 37, of Birkfield Drive, Ipswich, pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm on September 4.

Matthew Gowan mitigating, urged Judge John Holt to pass a suspended prison term because the attack was not premeditated.

He said: “In a moment of drunken madness these two friends fell out over a lady.”

Mr Gowan said the men had been friends for a long time and Tibbles used to help Mr Nunn who was not very literate with paperwork regarding his accommodation and finances.

He added that when the police arrived Tibbles remained at the scene, admitted what he had done and told officers where the knife was.

A probation pre-sentence report stated that Tibbles “does not appreciate what an extreme act of violence this was.”

The court heard that the men's friendship had ended due to the incident.