A MAN narrowly escaped death when a knife thrust into his chest missed his heart by a millimetre.

Christopher Balmont was stabbed following a row with Alan Brooks at Guildford Lodge in Nunnery Fields, Canterbury, where they were both living last December.

A chest drain had to be inserted to save Mr Balmont’s life. He lost five litres of blood and underwent emergency surgery.

Brooks, aged 30, of no fixed home, was jailed for six years at Canterbury Crown Court after admitting wounding Mr Balmont, intending to cause grievous bodily harm. But the Crown offered no evidence on a charge of attempted murder which Brooks denied.

Guildford Lodge is a hostel for the homeless, and Mr Balmont had lived there for some months, with the accused arriving in October.

A case worker said Brooks had shown an absence of logical reason and a volatile reaction to minor situations.

Mr Balmont, who had completed a term at college in his training as a chef, had shown compassion and kindness to others.

On December 28 there was a dispute between Brooks and Mr Balmont’s partner. Mr Balmont spoke to Brooks but things got heated and they were separated by a staff member.

Mr Balmont went to find Brooks to sort it out.

“He found himself trying to block what he thought was a punch. He felt the wind go out of his lungs and a blow to his stomach,” said John Dodd, prosecuting.

When Brooks was taken to Canterbury police station, he was agitated, saying he wished he had killed Mr Balmont.

Brooks had previous convictions for theft, burglary and motoring matters.

His counsel, Kerim Fuad conceded imprisonment was the only possible sentence.

“This was a provoked spontaneous outburst of temper which was wholly out of character,” said Mr Fuad.

Brooks’s then girlfriend had given him the knife which was a very dangerous act, said Mr Fuad.

Brooks was of a low IQ and not able to weigh up situations with clarity, he said.

But, in his favour, he had pleaded guilty and shown remorse and regret. He had twice attempted suicide while in custody but had no previous convictions for violence.

Jailing Brooks, Judge Anthony Webb said: “There was no suggestion Mr Balmont was armed, but you had this knife and were prepared to and did use it.

“The knife missed his heart by a millimetre, had it not done so you would be facing a life sentence.”

In a statement read to the court, victim Christopher Balmont said: “In the past I have done quite a lot of violence and what I consider very nasty things to people either for money or revenge or just pure hatred towards society.”

He said he had tried to turn the corner and put it behind him.

“Even though this experience has been very traumatic for me, it has made me even more positive and focused on the way I want to go and how I want to be.

“I hope Alan takes this opportunity with both hands and doesn’t hate me for what I have said in this statement.”

Mr Balmont has since left Canterbury and is living with his partner, who is about to give birth to their first child, elsewhere in Kent.