A 21-year-old man has admitted stabbing a former pal 11 times with a knife intending to injure him.

George Mee had faced a trial for attempting to murder Liam May – but a jury failed to agree.

Now he has offered a plea to a lesser charge of wounding with intent – and the Crown Prosecution Service will not ask for a re-trial on the more serious charge.

Mee, of Cromwell Park Road, Folkestone, will now be sentenced in February after the preparation of a report to assess the danger he poses.

At his trial, Mee admitted causing the wounds but claimed he was acting in self-defence. But has now admitted causing the wounds illegally.

An 11-strong jury at Canterbury Crown Court had had failed to agree a verdict on the attempted murder charge despite deliberating for 17 hours.

Mee had stabbed Mr May in June last year following a bust-up over postings he made on Facebook.

I am terrible sorry for what happened, terribly sorry. I feel disgusted with myself..." George Mee

He told the jury that although he admitted stabbing his rival he never intended to kill him.

The two had clashed after a disagreement in a caravan parked at the rear of a house.

The victim needed treatment for the wounds after the attack in Biggins Wood Road in Folkestone in June.

Mee said: "It was never my intention to kill him. I am terrible sorry for what happened, terribly sorry. I feel disgusted with myself."

He said that in January last year he bought a knife from a fishing shop in Tontine Street.

Asked why he had bought the weapon, he replied: “I stupidly bought the knife for self protection."

He said he accepted he had caused the injuries with the knife adding: “But I never intended to kill him..not at all. I really didn't know what I was doing."