A man who stabbed a partygoer in the back with a kitchen knife after his victim touched his girlfriend's knee has been jailed for four years.

John Patrick James, 27, plunged a kitchen knife into the back of his 26-year-old host, Charles Mutepfa, after Mr Mutepfa stumbled into James's girlfriend at the party.

York Crown Court heard how James had said: "I am going to do you. I am going to do the house" prior to the incident on June 22 last year at a house in Chapelfields Road, where three young children live.

He then fetched a kitchen knife from a neighbour's house and, brushing aside friends who tried to dissuade him, went back to the party and stabbed Mr Mutepfa.

Eyewitnesses tried to stem the blood with their hands and a towel.

The court was told that in previous incidents, James had bitten a man in a taxi queue and hit another man in the street after grabbing a takeaway meal off him.

"You are no stranger to aggressive, violent behaviour which is aggravated by the use of alcohol," Judge John Taylor told him at York Crown Court.

"If you don't address your behaviour, you will be a serious risk and danger to other people."

James, no fixed address, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent. Simon Hickey, prosecuting, said that Mr Mutepfa's wife, Katy Swift, had invited friends to their house for the party and that James, who had been at court the same day for motoring matters, attended as the "friend of a friend".

At the party, Mr Mutepfa, who had drunk ten or 11 cans, stumbled and put his hand on the knee of James' girlfriend.

James believed he was stroking her and the two men began fighting.

During the brawl a bottle was smashed on Mr Mutepfa's head. James claimed he acted in self-defence and the prosecution accepted his not guilty plea in connection with that incident.

After the fight, James went outside where Ms Swift saw him "going mental". She told police he said: "I am going to do you. I am going to do the house".

Worried for her children, she tried to reason with him, but he went into nearby Paula Bedford's house and fetched the knife.

A doctor later described the wound as "superficial".

James was still wearing tracksuit bottoms stained with Mr Mutepfa's blood when he was arrested the same night.

For James, Nicholas Barker said: "It does seem that alcohol as far as he is concerned is the catalyst. There is no suggestion he is a violent man when out of drink."

He said the attack had not been a serious or deep stabbing.