A knife-wielding thug who stabbed a teenage girl multiple times after she refused to stay in a relationship with him has been jailed for more than 26 years.

Simeon Shaba, who was convicted of attempted murder, was told he will be in his late 30s before he can apply for parole.

The 21-year-old inflicted 22 wounds on his victim Taliyah Taylor – who was 17 at the time – as her mother, Tina, tried to prevent the vicious attack in Temple Hill, Dartford, on August 5, 2021.

Judge Julian Smith gave him an immediate jail term of 21-and-a-half years before adding a further five years which has to be served when he is finally released.

He must serve more than 14 years before he is eligible to apply for parole.

The judge said Shaba's relationship with Miss Taylor had been "characterised by anger and possessiveness".

"It is clear the offence was organised," he said. "He intended to ensure his relationship continued or, if she refused, to kill her.

"He told her it was her 'last chance' to agree to staying in a relationship and, when she refused, he put his plan into action.

"It was decided he would attack her and escape thereafter.

"Taliyah, it is evident, is far from recovered."

Judge Smith ruled that Shaba still posed a dangerous significant risk of harm to Miss Taylor and other women.

At this, Shaba gasped and put his hand to his face before twice kicking the dock.

Neither Miss Taylor, who has been diagnosed with PTSD, nor her mother were present at the hearing at Maidstone Crown Court.

Prosecutor Daniel Stevenson said they felt it would be too traumatic to attend.

He told the court: "Taliyah has multiple scars across her body which she sees as a constant reminder of how someone she trusted almost ended her life.

"She believes he would have continued stabbing her until she had died if her mother had not intervened."

Shaba, of Sandling Rise, New Eltham, in south east London, continues to deny responsibility and is appealing his conviction.

He has previous convictions for robbery, possessing knives and assault.

Last year, the victim's anguished mother told how she tried to fight off Shaba as he carried out the knife attack and was injured.

She had made a grab for the knife and was left with a deep cut to her finger.

Her daughter, who is now 18, received wounds to her neck, face, shoulder, abdomen, back and thigh in what was described as a "cowardly" attack.

The court heard that "but for good luck" her injuries would have been "potentially life-threatening".

Shaba had denied attempting to murder the teenager and assaulting her mum.

The mum wept as she recalled the incident.

She told a jury how she ran to help the teenager on hearing a loud bang followed by screaming.

"She had blood everywhere," she said. "I moved in front of her to try to protect her but he didn't stop. Everything happened so really quickly.

"She had blood all over her face, her clothes, her hands. It was just all over her."

The mum added: "He continued to try and stab her, and he did in her leg. About three or four times.

"I was in front of her and he was very close. I tried to grab him and push him away from her but I couldn't at that time. He was saying something but I don't know what."

The court heard having tried to grab the knife herself, she eventually managed to push him away from her daughter.

"I kept screaming to get him to 'wake up' or something. Just screaming and shouting out loud to get a reaction from him," she told the jury.

"At one point he just stopped – I don't know if he came to – and then he just turned around and went."

She then went to help her stricken daughter.

"I was screaming 'What should I do? What should I do?' and she said to call 999," added the mum.

"She was on the floor. There was just so much blood everywhere I couldn't really see where it was coming from.

"But then I noticed a lot was coming from the chest area so I found the wound and put pressure on it. I took a T-shirt, put it on the wound) and held it."