Gang members have been jailed after stabbing an old pal multiple times in two horrific attacks, leaving him fearing for his life.

Matthew Sales, 21, plunged a screw-driver into Daniel Dodge’s stomach and back about eight times, outside his Folkestone home.

When Mr Dodge escaped with minor injuries, Sales two days later stabbed him in the leg outside a supermarket in a busy street, after his pals punched and whipped him with a motorcycle chain.

Sales, Thomas Pearson, 35, and Jed Coates, 31, were jailed for 19 years at Canterbury Crown Court today for the chilling attacks.

With two unidentified men, Sales in August last year chased Mr Dodge down Bournemouth Road, Folkestone, who then escaped inside his home.

But the trio hurled rocks at the house prompting Mr Dodge, aged 19 at the time, to confront them.

The gang knocked him to the ground where Sales leaned over and repeatedly plunged a screwdriver into his stomach and back, as one eye-witness caught the frenzied attack on camera.

After miraculously suffering minor injuries, the violence would intensify as Mr Dodge shopped at the Co-op store in Cheriton Road two days later.

Sales, who was still at large, alongside Pearson and Coates, ambushed him from behind a bus stop and unleashed a brutal attack with weapons in front of witnesses, including a 13-year-old girl.

One of the trio whipped him with a motorcycle chain and another delivered a flurry of punches, before Sales stabbed him in the leg with a kitchen knife.

CCTV footage played in court showed Sales and Pearson then running down Cheriton Road, as Mr Dodge scrambled inside Co-op screaming for help.

Prosecutor Fiona Ross told the court 19 telephone calls were made between Coates and Pearson the day before, clearly illustrating "intent."

The court heard Mr Dodge told officers he was being punched when he felt a sudden “bang on the back of the head.”

“Matt Sales lunged towards me and I saw a kitchen knife in his hand, my leg suddenly felt warm.

“I’ve never felt pain like it, when I was stabbed,” he told the police in a statement.

He explained blood “was streaming” and he became dizzy but managed to throw himself into Co-Op.

Police and medics descended on the scene at around noon and Mr Dodge was treated at Ashford's William Harvey Hospital with stitches.

But the court was unable to receive an update on Mr Dodge's condition after he gave only "minimal co-operation."

Sales pleaded guilty at an early opportunity to intending to cause wounding with intent, a separate charge of wounding with intent, three counts of possessing offensive weapons and possessing a bladed article.

His barrister Kieran Brand told the court Sales, who has a single conviction for affray as a youth, lost his way after his mother died, aged 17.

He argued Sales battled PTSD and became homeless, having to sofa-surf when “bad blood” consumed his friendship with Mr Dodge.

Coates, who has five previous convictions, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, possession of a blade, and two counts of possessing an offensive weapon at an early opportunity.

His barrister Phil Rowley said Coates was a “loving father” with a background of psychological issues, who “deeply regrets the events of last year.”

Pearson, who has ten convictions, lied to officers claiming he acted in self-defence but changed his plea before trial.

He also pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, possession of a blade and two counts of possessing an offensive weapon.

His lawyer William McBarnet said the father-of-two had been a “model prisoner” since being locked up, and acted in retaliation for an alleged attack on his family home.

Judge Simon James said of the first attack: “You, Sales, together with two men who have not been identified, attacked Mr Dodge.

“He was threatened and pursued to his home, outside of which he was subjected to a sustained attack, where you stabbed him in the stomach and back with a screw-driver.”

The judge branded the second assault a “sustained and repeated gang attack with multiple weapons, with (Mr Dodge) losing a significant amount of blood, losing consciousness and fearing he was going to die.”

When judge James handed down his sentence there were gasps and protests from family in the public gallery.

Sales, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to eight years.

Pearson, of Bouverie Road West, Folkestone, was handed six and a half years.

Coates, of Church Road, West Kingdown, Sevenoaks, will serve five years.

Meanwhile, a separate count of possessing an offensive weapon will lie on file.

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