A MAN who was stabbed in the face has told how he “hoped for the best” as he was attacked by a teenage thug in an alleyway in Basingstoke.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, suffered a 6cm wound to his face and has been left scarred.

The details of the attack were revealed during a trial at Winchester Crown Court this week, which today saw a 16-year-old convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

The man had been to the One Stop shop, in Popley, as his family were self-isolating due to Covid and on his way home he was confronted by the teenager.

The victim said in a video interview: “I have gone to turn in and I heard footsteps and the gate swing in, I turned around and see the two boys stood in the gateway, one of them with a bladed article.

“My heart rate went up and I had to think about what I’m going to do, how am I going to get out of here.”

He continued: “He (the defendant) just kept walking towards me, at first I was taking steps back. I stopped and thought I’ve got to stand my ground. I’ve got nowhere to run; I’ve got nowhere to go.

“I was just standing there and hoped for the best.”

The teenager, holding what the victim described as a “Rambo-style knife”, then said that he was going to stab him and came at him three times, completing missing the first time as the man tried to defend himself.

“The first time he threw it at me or threw his arm at me, I literally moved to the side and moved his arm up. The second time he has come at me I put my leg out and kicked in the chest.

“I put my leg down and he just came at me again.”

On third attempted the victim said that the teenager “plummeted his arm at my face”.

“He ran at me and stabbed me in the face,” the victim said in a video interview. “I didn’t realise that there was a hole in my face.”

The victim later said: “He (the defendant) didn’t do, say or express anything other than after I was stabbed, I could see fear in his face.

“I could see he was petrified.”

The man said he was shocked about what had unfolded and returned home where he was seen to be covered in blood.

Emergency services were called, and he later underwent surgery on the stab wound.

The victim said that the attack occurred after he distanced himself from the teenager and when asked why he thought it took place, he said: “To be honest [I have] no idea, I don’t know what the issue is about, I think it is just jealously”.

He also said in his interview that he thought teenager was “trying to show who is the big boss”.