A MAN who was slashed in the neck by his friend has been left afraid to leave his home and having nightmares, a court heard.

Attacker Richard Street, of Stiles Drive, Andover, had been drinking with his former boss Michael Castle on February 22 last year when the situation became violent.

The 36-year-old Street had got in touch with Mr Castle through Facebook after they had lost contact, and on February 21 the latter visited Street’s house.

Winchester Crown Court heard he realised that Street had already been drinking and was “prancing about”, they then had more drinks and Street had two lines of cocaine.

The pair then decided to go into Andover town centre in the early hours of the morning, but all the pubs had closed and they returned to Street’s home.

Just after 3am, Street’s stepson asked for them to be quieter, but Street became aggressive and had his fists clenched.

Mr Castle urged him to “calm down mate”, but Street grabbed a kitchen knife and caused an eight centimetre wound in his victim’s neck.

He had also caused bruising to Mr Castle’s body and pain to his wrist, which left him unable to work for five weeks.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Castle said he had been having nightmares about Street being on top of him and has been unable to go out by himself.

He added: “I am shocked about what happened, I thought me and Richard were friends so I can’t understand why this has happened.

“It has made me feel ashamed of going out of the house and meeting people as I am concious that people are looking at the scar on my neck.”

Mr Castle added he has become a “shy and withdrawn person” following the attack.

At Winchester Crown Court on December 21, Street was jailed for 30 months, after he had admitted to wounding with intent on the first day of his trial.

Dawn Hyland, prosecuting, said that when interviewed, Street “couldn’t recall having an argument or disagreement” but could remember the pair had had a lot to drink.

Ms Hyland told the court the wound sustained by Mr Castle was close to his jugular artery which could have led to “more serious harm”.

Charles Durrant, defending, said Street had suffered from “genuine amnesia as to what occurred”, but added Mr Castle could also not remember how he got to the hospital.

He added: “He [Street] is solely responsible for what happened and he will have to live what the consequences of what went on that evening.”

Judge Susan Evans was told the argument before the attack may have resurfaced flashbacks from an assault in 2008 which caused Street to be diagnosed with PTSD.

In sentencing Judge Evans accepted both men were “highly intoxicated”, but said “you did a highly dangerous thing which could have been a catastrophic injury.”