A teenager who stabbed a 19-year-old in the head in Essex has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.

The teenage victim was walking with friends along an alley between Fitch's Mews and Fitch's Crescent in Maldon around 3pm on April 22 when he was approached by Joshua Goodchild.

Goodchild produced a kitchen knife from behind his back, asking "Who wants to get dipped first?" before stabbing the victim to the side of the head and making off.

The victim's friends called for an ambulance, and local residents came out and helped the victim while they waited for the paramedics to arrive.

He sustained a single deep cut to the side of his forehead and his wound was later glued following trip to hospital.

During the investigation a knife, believed to have been the same weapon used in the attack, was found under the bypass over the Blackwater River.

Goodchild, 19, of New Writtle Street, Chelmsford, was arrested on May 1 and denied any knowledge of the stabbing during interview.

He was later charged with GBH with intent and pleaded guilty at Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday, September 24.

At the same court on Thursday, November 21, he was given an eight and-a-half year extended sentence, four and-a-half years to be served in prison and a further four on licence.

Detective Constable Claire Hicks, investigating officer at Essex Police, praised the courage of the victim and thanked the members of public who helped at the time of the attack.

She said: "Joshua Goodchild is a dangerous perpetrator who has refused to accept that there was anything fundamentally wrong with his behaviour.

"He attacked his victim, with a knife, in front of other impressionable young people, including a 14-year-old child.

"This was an unprovoked attack which could have left the victim with really serious injuries.

"Goodchild will now spend a significant amount of time in prison and Essex will be a safer place for that.

"I want to praise the courage of the victim and thank the members of the public who went to his aid.

"Essex Police will continue to use the full force of the law to deter and detect knife crime."