A MASKED thug who stabbed a man twice in a case of mistaken identity has been jailed for 16 months.

Zbyslaw Doboz, 29, pleaded guilty to plunging a kitchen knife into Ryan Hayde's back and upper arm after mistaking him for one of his friends following a row.

It happened outside a taxi office in Hall Lane, Chingford, at 2.20am on a Saturday night back in May.

After the stabbing Mr Hayde's friends chased after Doboz and attacked him round the corner in Chingford Mount Road, although he only suffered minor injuries.

The bloody incident saw much of the Chingford Mount shopping district taped off by police the following Sunday while officers investigated.

Jurors at Snaresbrook Crown Court heard that Doboz had rowed with one of Mr Hayde's friends and then rushed back to his home in Chingford Mount Road to get a knife.

He returned wearing a balaclava and stabbed Mr Hayde, who suffered "significant bleeding" and had to be rushed to hospital.

Mr Hayde, 26, who at the time was self-employed, was forced to take extended time off work, costing him thousands of pounds in lost income, the court heard.

Judge Nigel Peters told Doboz: "You committed a frenzied and unprovoked attack on a person you didn't know with a knife, wearing a balaclava, clearly intending to cause serious harm.

"It's good fortune for you and thankfully for the victim of this crime that the knife didn't pierce other parts of the body that could have caused far more serious and dangerous injury.

"None the less, very serious injury did occur on that occasion.

"In my judgement, this offence is far too serious for a non-custodial sentence."

Doboz remained expressionless as the sentence was passed.

Mr Hayde, who was present in the public gallery, appeared to shake his head in disgust.

Doboz was arrested at his home where police found the balaclava and a quantity of cannabis.

Ian Henderson, defending, said: "Mr Doboz has genuine remorse and a desire to deal with his alcohol and drug issues."

Doboz was convicted of 'unlawful wounding'.