A FURIOUS drunken man stabbed at his partner with a kitchen knife after taking their screaming young son from her arms.

Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard how Mickail Khan repeatedly lunched at his girlfriend with the weapon and she was left with a cut hand after parrying the blows.

At a sentencing hearing, conducted over Skype video conferencing, Kate Gaskell, prosecuting, told how the couple had been in a relationship for three and a half years but suffered a tragedy in August last year when their 14-month-old daughter died.

"He was described initially as being very kind towards his partner, but as the relationship progressed he became more controlling," said Miss Gaskell.

"He would often ask her what she was going to wear and who she was seeing."

On the evening of January 24 they had been to her father's house with their young son and drinks were consumed.

When they returned home a row broke out with Khan making accusations against her.

"He became more aggressive and began shouting towards her," said Miss Gaskell.

"When she tried to get past the defendant he punched her twice.

"She put her hand up to her face and could feel blood coming from her nose. At that point she had her young son in her arms."

The woman repeatedly tried to get out of the house but Khan kept punching her in the face.

"As she was trying to protect herself, her child was still screaming and she was asking the defendant to stop," said Miss Gaskell.

Khan grabbed her by the throat and, concerned that the child would be injured, she put him down and he continued to hit her.

"She was screaming at him to stop and tried to kick the bathroom wall in an attempt to alert neighbours for some kind of help or assistance," said Miss Gaskell.

The woman picked up the child and tried to flee the house with him, but Khan grabbed a 12 inch knife from the kitchen.

Miss Gaskell told how Khan shouted, "Watch this now" and ran towards her as she and the child fled upstairs, trying to shut themselves in the bathroom.

Khan grabbed the child and put him in a bedroom before continuing his attack with the knife

He lunged at the woman's thigh and then stomach but she blocked the weapon with her hand, leaving her with a cut finger.

When Khan left the room she fled the property to a neighbour's house with their son.

In a victim statement, read in court, the woman said: "I am really scared of Mickail and I no longer want to be with him. I am worried he is going to attack me again and I know he is not going to leave me alone. I cannot believe what he has done to me."

Mickail, aged 24, of East Street, Bury, who has a previous conviction for assaulting a former partner,pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm.

Judge Bernard Lever heard how he has been in prison on remand since January 27.

Ben Kaufman, defending, described the relationship Khan had with his partner as "toxic" compounded by the loss of the child and the defendant's over use of alcohol.

"He has demonstrated clear remorse and accepts that his actions were wholly wrong," he said.

Judge Lever told Khan: "It was a sustained attack — multiple injuries, fortunately none of them of the gravest or life-threatening nature.

"She had her child, your child, in her arms, screaming and you pursued her and brandished a knife. You didn't just do it to threaten her, you were making motions which she was parrying and this is very serious indeed."

He told the defendant that, because he has already spent time in prison, he would not receive an immediate custodial sentence.

Instead Khan was sentenced to 15 months in prison, suspended for two years and was ordered to participate in 40 days of rehabilitation activities and take part in better relationships and alcohol treatment programmes.

A restraining order was made banning Khan from contacting his victim.