by Keith Hunt

A thug has been jailed indefinitely for a vicious knife attack on Christmas Day that left his victim permanently scarred.

Ordering Paul Harbour to be detained for a minimum of five years, a judge told him: "The reality is you are an extremely dangerous man.

"Society cannot permit a person such as you to be free unless and until it has been demonstrated it would be safe to release you."

Harbour, of Lobelia Close, Gillingham, denied wounding with intent but was convicted by a jury in September.

The 25-year-old brute slashed David Hansford four times across the forehead with a Stanley knife, telling him: "Every time you see this, you will remember me."

Maidstone Crown Court heard Mr Hansford was staying in Balmoral Road, Gillingham, at the time.

Harbour was in an argumentative mood when he went to the flat with his girlfriend on Christmas Day last year and Mr Hansford told him to leave.

There was a struggle between them and Harbour gouged at the victim's eyes with his fingers. He then felt severe pain to his forehead.

The attack spilled out into the street and Harbour kicked Mr Hansford, 28, in the ribs.

The jury heard Mr Hansford had four "full thickness" cuts to his forehead about 10cm long and a 4cm cut to his chin. He needed about 50 stitches.

The victim, who spent a week in hospital, told in a statement how he still suffered nightmares and had become introverted.

Harbour had numerous previous convictions and had served two custodial sentences for robbery.

Judge Martin Joy described Harbour's words about Mr Hansford's scars as "chilling".

"You have an appalling record of deeply anti-social behaviour," he said. "You have lived a life of extreme degradation.

"There was an element of calculation and deliberation about this offence with the use of a knife with intent to disfigure and injure your victim in a particularly grave way."

The judge said Harbour would serve five years, less about 11 months spent on remand, before being considered for parole. If a determinate sentence had been passed, it would have been 10 years.