A STABBING victim has spoken out about the impact of the injuries he suffered following the jailing of his attacker last week. Tim Churchill, of Russet Drive, St Albans, was attacked by love rival John Cook, aged 61, last August because he was in a relati

A STABBING victim has spoken out about the impact of the injuries he suffered following the jailing of his attacker last week.

Tim Churchill, of Russet Drive, St Albans, was attacked by love rival John Cook, aged 61, last August because he was in a relationship with Cook's partner Bobby Lancaster.

Cook had been drinking heavily when he went to Mr Churchill's home, kicked at the front door and then stabbed his rival repeatedly with a large carving knife.

Mr Churchill, aged 45, nearly died in the attack in which he was stabbed twice in the chest and three times in the arm. He was treated at Hemel Hempstead Hospital for nine weeks.

Last week Cook pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, common assault and drink driving and was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison of which he will serve half.

More than four months after the attack, Mr Churchill can barely use his arms, is no longer able to drive or work and cannot even pick up shopping bags. He lives on £59 a week incapacity benefit. He is in constant pain and needs tranquilisers to sleep in the one-bedroom flat where the attack took place.

Doctors have been unable say if he will be able to use his left arm again but they are due to operate to remove a piece of the knife that remains embedded in his left hand.

Mr Churchill was born and brought up in St Albans and his family still live in the city and are regular visitors.

He spoke this week of his fear of going home again when he left hospital. The front door of his flat was still broken after the attack and the bloodstained walls of the stairwell had only been crudely painted over.

He described himself as a very happy man who was working and could drive about and meet friends before the attack. He would take his 15-year-old daughter Megan from a previous relationship out ice skating and to the cinema at the weekends and went on holiday to Tenerife with her.

But now, he said, his days were spent in the flat and he was very depressed. He explained: "I can't even do the most basic things such as taking the rubbish out.

I want to be working, but I don't do anything during the day - I fill my days watching repeats on TV.

"I feel useless; I can't work or take my daughter out. I've gone from a busy life to doing nothing."

Mr Churchill added: "Mr Cook is going to be out in less than two years. I am very bitter about the whole thing.