A man was lucky to survive after a knife wound to his neck missed his jugular vein by millimetres, a court has heard.

Anthony Fairburn was near a car park in Ferdinand Walk, Colchester, when he was attacked with a modelling knife by Kevin Selby, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

Joe Bird, prosecuting, said a slash wound to Mr Fairburn’s neck missed his jugular vein by millimetres and it was “sheer luck” that he wasn’t more seriously injured. There was also a second wound to Mr Fairburn’s shoulder.

Selby, 30, from London, admitted unlawful wounding on September 9 last year and was jailed for 45 months.

Sentencing him Recorder Mary Loram said Mr Fairburn had been at the home address of Selby’s former partner on the day in question and it wasn’t clear why Selby had also been in the area that day.

“He had done you no harm and you didn’t even know him,” said the judge.

Frank O’Toole, for Selby said his client had been in custody since September.