A PRINTER who slashed a man's neck with a knife during a fight outside an Ipswich club has been warned that he will “almost inevitably” be jailed when he is sentenced next month.

A PRINTER who slashed a man's neck with a knife during a fight outside an Ipswich club has been warned that he will “almost inevitably” be jailed when he is sentenced next month.

Laine Pond underwent emergency surgery and needed a blood transfusion after suffering a 10cm cut to his neck shortly before Christmas last year, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Rory Bantock, 27, of Bury Road, Lawshall, admitted unlawfully wounding Mr Pond on December 23.

Adjourning sentence for a pre-sentence report Judge David Goodin told Bantock: “You must understand that a stabbing or slashing with a knife outside a nightclub is a serious offence that will almost inevitably result in you losing your liberty immediately.”

David Holborn, prosecuting, said there was a history of bad feeling between Mr Pond and defendant and on the evening in question Bantock had been at the Caribbean Club in Ipswich with Mr Pond's former partner.

During the evening Mr Pond went outside to a use a telephone and had been followed by Bantock. “There was an altercation during which the defendant slashed Mr Pond with a knife,” Mr Holborn said.

Mr Pond suffered the cut to his neck and underwent emergency surgery during which he was given two pints of blood as a result of severe blood loss.

After his arrest, Bantock claimed that Mr Pond had approached him and asked him to go outside for a fight. Bantock said that as he followed Mr Pond someone had handed him a four-inch lock knife after suggesting that Mr Pond might be armed with a bottle.

Mr Holborn said that outside the club Mr Pond, who had been drinking and using cocaine, had been aggressive and if he had not been injured his conduct might have led to him being arrested for a public order offence.

Michael Epstein, for Bantock, said his client was a printer but was currently off work suffering from depression linked to the court proceedings.

He said that although Bantock had been in trouble when he was younger he had kept out of trouble between the ages of 20 and 26.

He said that a pre-sentence report could look into the background to the stabbing and into Bantock's personal circumstances.