A MAN who stabbed another in the kidneys and liver has been warned he faces a lengthy jail sentence.

Appearing before Swindon Crown Court, Joseph Bridgeman, 21, of Chestnut Avenue, Tidworth, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a knife.

It followed a stabbing in Rylands Way, Royal Wootton Bassett, on Thursday, September 10.

Bridgeman’s victim, a man in his 50s, was stabbed int the abdomen. At a court hearing last month, magistrates were told the knife scraped the man’s kidneys and liver. He was admitted to intensive care after being airlifted to Southmead Hospital, Bristol.

Emma Handslip, Bridgeman’s lawyer, asked for the case to be adjourned for pre-sentence reports. Her client was a man of previous good character.

Bailing the defendant to return to the crown court for sentence on December 17, Judge Jason Taylor QC said: “You don’t need me to tell you the seriousness of the offences to which you’ve pleaded guilty and there can only be one sentence.

“But I’m adjourning today for two reasons. First of all, a report from a psychiatrist to deal with risk; that’s not withstanding the fact you have no previous convictions. Second, probation will then do a report and they will need to consider [risk] as well.”

The Crown was represented by barrister David Scutt at the short hearing.