A man stabbed in a street row eight months ago said today he is still haunted by the attack.

John Banks, 51, suffered a collapsed lung and muscle loss in his shoulder and spent 16 days in hospital after he was knifed twice outside his mother's home.

Mr Banks, of Clarendon Road, Hove, is still on painkillers because of the damage to his lung and continues to have nightmares.

He said: "Being stabbed has put fear into me that I never knew existed.

"I'm very reluctant to walk around on my own at night and get scared even during the day if I hear raised voices.

"I've had nightmares with lots of blood and a knife. I have to walk around my flat, make a cup of coffee and turn on the television. I can't stand it."

The stabbing happened after Mr Banks was almost thrown off his bike when two teenagers jumped out in front of him and one spat at him.

A jury at Hove Crown Court heard Jason Murray, 26, came out of his house in Southall Avenue, Brighton, with a kitchen knife in his hand because he feared his seven-year-old son was being assaulted. A heated argument followed and Murray's wife Dale became involved.

Shortly afterwards, Murray stabbed Mr Banks in the arm and side.

Mr Banks is no stranger to trauma. The incident came only months after his brother Anthony, 43, was killed in a knife incident in Lewes, while six years ago his 19-year-old son Sean died from a heroin overdose.

Mr Banks, unemployed, had taken up cycling to help cure depression following his brother's death but now feels he is back to square one.

He said: "My doctor said I was getting well but being stabbed has absolutely crushed me.

"I can't stand violence and I've never carried a weapon in my life.

"That knife was a quarter of an inch from my heart and could have killed me. There should be tougher sentences on people who carry knives because they are as bad as guns."

Murray told the court he left his kitchen still holding the knife after his eldest son shouted that Mrs Murray had been knocked to the ground.

He said he had put up his arms instinctively to defend himself after Mr Banks lunged towards his throat.

Last week Murray was found guilty of causing Mr Banks grievous bodily harm.

The jury cleared him of the more serious charge of intending to cause his victim grievous bodily harm.

He will be sentenced on May 27.