by Annette Wilson

A man who called himself the Milky Bar Kid has been jailed indefinitely for a life-threatening stabbing.

Adam Palmer, 21, of Mary Road, Deal was told he was a cruel coward who had come very close to killing his victim and there could be no alternative to a sentence for public protection.

Palmer or 'Milky' as he was known, appeared at Canterbury Crown Court for sentence on Monday having admitted wounding Lee Perfect intending to cause grievous bodily harm in November last year.

He also admitted witness intimidation and common assault in September 2008 for which concurrent sentences were passed.

At an earlier hearing, the court heard background to the stabbing was a 16-year-old youth's jealousy, because he believed Mr Perfect had taken his girlfriend. Palmer didn't know Mr Perfect but was contacted by the youth who claimed he had been beaten up by two older men in an unprovoked attack and wanted Palmer to go with him the next day to sort it out.

When Mr Perfect answered a knock at his front door at Milton Square, Margate he saw a girl outside who walked away and two men, one being Palmer.

The victim had armed himself with a baseball bat but he was stabbed twice with a kitchen knife which had been passed to Palmer by the 16-year-old girl.

The girl and the youth, then 15, cannot be named for legal reasons, were from Margate and Broadstairs and were convicted after a trial of wounding with intent and the girl further convicted of having an offensive weapon.

The youth was sentenced to two years detention and she was given an intensive supervision and surveillance programme.

Palmer's sentence was adjourned in August for a psychiatric report and his lawyer, Oliver Saxby acknowledged on Monday a sentence for public protection was inevitable but asked for credit for his plea and that the 381 days on remand count towards his sentence.

Jailing Palmer, Judge Timothy Nash said the victim spent two months in hospital and the first month was 'touch and go'.

"I presided over the trial of those two stupid young people who befriended you and sought your help.

"You call yourself the Milky Bar Kid and and others do as well and you hold yourself up as the big boy who can go round protecting others and taking revenge and that is quite unacceptable."

Palmer had convictions for theft, deception, criminal damage and assault. He will serve minimum of three and a half years before parole can be considered less time served on remand.