A father of three left his brother in a pool of blood in a hotel after stabbing him during a fight.

Labourer Marek Pietras, 32, then fled the Travelodge and was found hiding in nearby shops in the High Street in Ramsgate.

He was initially charged with attempting to murder Rafal Pietras but has now pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of unlawful wounding.

Prosecutor Dale Sullivan told Canterbury Crown Court that although Rafal said he would attend court he would not give evidence against his brother.

Marek, of no fixed address, had claimed it was his brother who first produced the knife during the fight in February and some of the injuries were caused during the struggle.

Mr Sullivan told how Rafal was found covered in blood after staff at the Travelodge called police.

He was later treated for injuries to his right and left forearms, chest, scalp and “multiple defensive wounds to his body”.

He spent just under a week having his lung drained and he needed an operation for nerve damage.

As he was being treated by paramedics, Rafal told police officers that his brother was responsible for the wounds.

Marek, who also received a knife wound to his hand, was jailed for two and a half years.

Judge Heather Norton told him his brother had “declined to assist the prosecution”.

She added: “But I have act in the public interest. Your brother is not responsible for any sentence I pass.”

She said that the basis of his guilty plea was that Rafal was the first to use the knife and attacked Marek.

His not guilty plea to attempted murder was accepted and he was formerly found not guilty.