A teenager who knifed a man and then bragged about "shanking" him has been locked up.

Hayden Ashcroft attacked Erik Horvath in a Dover street in the early hours of Monday, September 4, after he came to the aid of another individual being threatened by the then 17-year-old.

Canterbury Crown Court heard Mr Horvath, who is in his early 20s, tried to ward off Ashcroft, having spotted a knife up his sleeve, but was caught off-guard and stabbed in Folkestone Road.

The victim had to be airlifted to King's College Hospital in London where he was treated for a punctured left lung and a second, small knife wound to his upper arm.

Ashcroft later admitted wounding with intent, affray and threatening with a bladed article.

At his sentencing hearing on Wednesday - just a day before he turned 18 - prosecutor Stacey-Lee Holland told how Mr Horvath was walking home when a friend appeared, saying two people were trying to hurt him.

When Ashcroft and another male approached, Mr Horvath asked what the issue was, said Ms Holland, only to be told it was "none of his business" and that his friend was "going to get it".

The prosecutor said: "Hayden Ashcroft had a knife in his sleeve. Mr Horvath saw him move his hand, thought he was going to stab him and so punched him in a preemptive strike.

"This initially seemed to ward the defendant off but then he went towards Mr Horvath. The complainant picked up a metal bar that had been on the floor and threw it."

The implement landed on the ground and a short while later Ashcroft hurled it back.

It landed behind Mr Horvath and, as he went to pick it up for a second time, he was rushed at by the teenager, continued Ms Holland.

"A local resident recorded the incident on their phone and it showed that as Mr Horvath bent down to try to retrieve the metal pole, the defendant ran at him, hit him and knocked him to the floor.

“The Crown say that is likely to be when the complainant was stabbed.”

The court heard further punches were swung as Mr Horvath got back to his feet before fleeing.

"Hayden Ashcroft could be heard saying 'I've shanked him, bruv'," added the prosecutor.

No victim impact statement was available for the sentencing hearing and Mr Horvath did not attend court.

Ashcroft, who has a previous conviction for robbery and two cautions for assault causing actual bodily harm and affray, initially told police he had acted in self-defence after being "provoked" by the victim's punch.

However, Ms Holland said he later accepted that his actions had gone beyond what could be considered self-defence.

Notu Hoon, defending, said the teenager had demonstrated genuine remorse and regret while in custody and, despite a "disruptive childhood with very little guidance" was now "motivated to achieve his life goals".

Locking Ashcroft up for three years in a young offenders' institution, Recorder Christine Wilson said the sentence would have been six years' imprisonment had he been an adult.

But explaining why he could not be spared a spell behind bars, she added: "You were still young but what you did was very serious. Custody is the only sentence I can give you."

At the time of legal proceedings, Ashcroft, of Folkestone Road, could not be named due to his age.

However, anonymity orders granted by the courts under Section 45 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 automatically lift once a person reaches the age of 18.