A THUG convicted of attempting to murder a young man after a minor fall-out had previously served prison sentences for serious knife crimes - including an attack when he stabbed three people.

Just hours after he stabbed Robert Pattinson in the face, Scott Topping, 39, boasted to police officers about his history of using knives, telling them: “It’s what I’m good at.”

Despite denying that he wanted to kill his 21-year-old victim, Topping was heard saying that he hoped he had died and suggested he was unlucky if he was alive.

Topping’s Carlisle Crown Court trial heard how his knife attack was so savage that the large kitchen knife he used sank into his victim’s face to a depth of five inches, the blade coming to rest millimetres from a major artery. He was lucky to survive, said doctors.

After the jury declared him guilty of attempted murder, Judge James Adkin revealed how Topping had previous convictions for serious knife crimes.

When he was 24, he randomly stabbed three people in Aspatria - two men and a 15-year-old schoolboy.

A doctor later said one of the wounds he inflicted left the victim a “hair’s breadth” from death.

Two brave police officers - later given commendations for their courageous actions - overpowered Topping, who was jailed for eight years after he admitted wounding with intent. A decade later, Topping kicked his way into a woman’s home in Wigton and held a knife to her throat.

At the time, the victim was in the house with her three-year-old daughter.

During the attack, Topping yelled threats about the woman’s brother, saying he was a “dead man.” His defence lawyer said Topping blamed his violence on drinking.

At Carlisle Crown Court this week, the jury heard how Topping, of Mulligan’s Court, Wigton, was out with friends on the evening of Friday, April 12. High on cocaine, he went to the Throstle’s Nest pub in King Street, and drew attention to himself by being loud and aggressive.

Witnesses heard him saying that he wanted to stab somebody. He initially picked an argument with a family from Newcastle, but the man he was provoking left.

Topping then turned on Mr Pattinson, who was out that night with his girlfriend and family. As he walked through Wigton, Topping confronted him, throwing a drunken punch. The younger man dodged the blow before hitting back in self-defence.

An hour later, after collecting two knives from his home, Topping returned to the smoking shelter outside the Throstle’s Nest and insulted Mr Pattinson’s mother Lisa Dixon. Concerned for her, Mr Pattinson left the pub and told Topping to go home.

At first, he seemed to calm down, and apologised to Mr Pattinson, saying he had not realised Mrs Dixon was his mother. He even shook hands with Mr Pattinson.

It was as the young man turned away to go back into the pub that Topping struck, plunging the until then hidden knife towards Mr Pattinson’s throat. Because the victim leaned backwards at the last second, the blade struck Mr Pattinson’s face.

He said: “I could see the knife sticking out of my face. I knew it was bad straight away.” After the stabbing, Topping smiled, walked towards him, and said: “Oh yeah!”

Later, the defendant told the police sent to arrest him: “I hope he’s dead because if he hasn’t died - unlucky.” He also said: “I want to die tonight...You’ll have to shoot me or I’ll stab people.”

Remanding him in custody, Judge Adkin said he will assess whether Topping is so dangerous he poses a long-term risk to the public. If he is, the sentence may be a life term, he said. Topping will be sentenced on Friday, October 25.

After the case, Sergeant Harley Young paid tribute to Mr Pattinson, saying: “He is decent, upstanding member of the public.

“His level of bravery has been exceptional.”