A PUB landlord’s son who took bloody revenge with a boning knife after a customer attacked him has been jailed for five years.

John Jerwood, who once worked in an abattoir, rained blows on Jeffrey Davis with the weapon, leaving wounds to his head, leg and hand.

Jerwood had earlier the same night been punched by Mr Davis, leaving him “spark out” on the floor of the General At Sea in Balfour Road, Chatham. But when he came to, Jerwood, 37, went and armed himself with the knife.

Jailing him at Maidstone Crown Court, Judge Andrew Patience QC said the evidence against him was overwhelming and that people in neighbouring houses spoke of him “hacking” at Mr Davis.

He added that Jerwood’s previous conviction for wounding was an aggravating feature and one which could have resulted in a life sentence had this attack on Mr Davis not pre-dated a recent change in the law.

“It is a warning for you to keep your temper where it should be - under control,” said Judge Patience.

Jerwood denied causing grievous bodily harm with intent on January 21 last year but was convicted by a jury. His 61-year-old father, John Jerwood Snr, the pub landlord, was himself accused of affray. It was alleged he backed his son up by arming himself with a small axe.

However, the same jury failed to reach a verdict on Mr Jerwood Snr and were discharged. The Crown decided not to hold a retrial and offered no evidence against him.

The court heard during the trial that Mr Davis and his cousin Ricky Arnold had been loud and boisterous in the pub that night. When Jerwood asked them to calm down Mr Davis reacted by punching him.

By the time Jerwood had regained consciousness and armed himself with the 10in knife, Mr Davis was outside the pub.

Mr Davis, believing he was going to be stabbed, grabbed the blade. The two men then fell to the ground, at which point Mr Davis felt someone’s arm around his throat.

In his evidence he told the court: “I was finding it hard to breathe. I felt panic-struck. The blade was pulled through my hand...there was a good deal of blood. I was struck with the machete on the forehead.

“I was pulled back. Blood was trickling down my face, I couldn’t see. I was blinded by the blood...I saw my leg being hit above the knee with the machete three or four times. The injury was open and really deep. I could see the fat hanging out of my leg.”

Jerwood admitted during his trial that he “stupidly” armed himself with the machete but thought his father was in danger. He denied intending to cause harm to Mr Davis and only raised his hand with the weapon in it because he thought Mr Davis was going to attack him.

And, because they both sustained injuries, he believed that what happened was “tit-for-tat”.

“Me and Jeff were wrestling with the knife, which is where he has obviously sustained his injury by accident to his leg. I must have accidentally sruck him. It is not true I was hacking at him,” he claimed.

After sentence had been passed Jerwood waved to family and friends sitting in the public gallery before being led away to the cells.