A KNIFEMAN has been jailed for 30 months for slashing a have-a-go-hero's face as the victim stood outside his home.

Moses Ceesay, who last year chased a robber after a raid on Walmgate Post Office, was smoking in his front garden after a Saturday evening out with friends when Bradley Neville Bell cycled past, York Crown Court heard.

A short while later, Bell returned to Mr Ceesay's home in Spalding Avenue, Clifton, and tried to grab gold chains which his victim was wearing round his neck, prosecutor Simon Hickey said.

Mr Ceesay grabbed Bell's hand, but the attacker slashed him across the face with a Stanley knife.

Bell, of Arran Place, Heworth, York, pleaded guilty to wounding.

Jailing him for 30 months, Judge Peter Baker said he had inflicted a very serious injury.

Mr Hickey said Mr Ceesay also fractured a small bone in his right hand as he and a friend, Alan Scarborough, managed to put Bell on the ground, disarm him and restrain him until police arrived.

The knife wound ran from close to Mr Ceesay's right eye down to his cheekbone.

For Bell, who has ten previous convictions for violence, David Bradshaw made allegations about Mr Ceesay. Bell had gone to the house to buy something and two men had set upon him.

He said Bell's injuries showed that he had been beaten up and not just put to the ground as the prosecution had said.

Bell had taken the knife with him because he was expecting trouble and only used it once.

In May last year, Mr Ceesay was walking along Walmgate with his girlfriend when two robbers ran out of the Walmgate Post Office.

They had stolen an undisclosed amount of cash after struggling with postmaster Brian Fletcher, who suffered an injured eye.

The robbers ran out into Walmgate and a passer-by shouted Mr Ceesay to help.

He chased one of the robbers into Margaret Street, then Thistleton Court, before the robber climbed some railings.

Mr Ceesay grabbed his top, but the robber managed to get free.

He dismissed suggestions of heroism at the time, saying: "I just did what I had to do. It was a natural reaction."

Mr Ceesay was born in The Gambia, but has lived in York for 16 years.

Updated: 10:55 Thursday, March 14, 2002