A KNIFEMAN who almost killed a Suffolk youth has been jailed indefinitely and told he will be deported to Poland.Damian Brauer was jailed for a minimum of 27 months by Ipswich Crown Court and was told he would not be released from prison until the parole board deemed him not to be a danger to the public.

A KNIFEMAN who almost killed a Suffolk youth has been jailed indefinitely and told he will be deported to Poland.

Damian Brauer was jailed for a minimum of 27 months by Ipswich Crown Court and was told he would not be released from prison until the parole board deemed him not to be a danger to the public.

The court heard that the 21-year-old of Woodbridge Road, Ipswich was on the run from Polish police after being sentenced to five and a half years for two robberies and possessing drugs when he attacked Matthew Buckman.

Brauer stabbed Mr Buckman ten times in the neck and back causing life threatening injuries.

Mr Buckman then 19 of Padstow Road, Kesgrave had been in Ipswich town centre with his friend 16-year-old Kurtis Pack when they first encountered Brauer in the early hours of May 27 last year.

The court heard that Brauer tried to karate kick Mr Buckman who had then punched him in the face.

Brauer walked away but the two youths followed him to an alleyway between Upper Brook Street and Woolworths car park and Mr Buckman got Brauer in a headlock and the attack was broken up by four passersby who intervened.

The court heard that Brauer complained that two against one was unfair and he returned home to Woodbridge Road where he lived with other Polish Nationals.

Andrew Shaw, prosecuting, said Brauer changed his clothes, armed himself with a knife and recruited another man to return to town to seek revenge.

CCTV showed Brauer and another man follow Mr Buckman and Mr Pack along Upper Brook Street and into the same alleyway. The other man hit Mr Buckman over the head with a blunt weapon and Mr Brauer stabbed Mr Buckman with the knife.

Brauer pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Slawomir Inczewski, 25, denied the same offence and was acquitted by an Ipswich Crown Court jury.

Mr Buckman staggered along Upper Brook Street bleeding heavily and his friend managed to steer him towards Zing Wine Bar in Tacket Street where staff applied pressure to his wounds and called an ambulance.

Mr Buckman spent weeks in hospital undergoing arterial and nerve repair operations and physiotherapy.

After the verdict Mr Buckman, now 20, said his right arm was still partially disabled and he was only able to work limited hours at Bennetts Electrical in Martlesham.

He said: “Twenty-seven months does not seem like very much but they said he would go back to Poland and I'm very pleased about that. I still have to have more surgery so I will still be receiving physio when he comes out, if he only serves 27 months.”

Mr Buckman said he had retaliated to Brauer's initial attack and had tried to keep his young friend out of it. He said Brauer's revenge attack with another man was “cowardly”.

Judge John Devaux said his guilty plea and earlier provocation were mitigating factors but his previous offending had escalated the seriousness of this offence.

He said: “The 27 months less the 279 days served in custody and then the parole board will be entitled to consider your release but only when it is satisfied that you are not a risk to the public. You will be on licence for at least 10 years subject to the recommendation for deportation which I feel I should make. You committed a serious offence in this country while on the run from prison in your own country.”