A TEENAGER stabbed a man and left him fighting for his life and his father waved a chainsaw around in a confrontation outside their home, a court heard.

The hearing was told Dean Bossio had shouted 'what have you done that for?' and 'get in now' after son Matthew, then 17, had plunged a knife into the abdomen of Rory Dixon.

Keith Sutton, prosecuting, said Bossio senior had initially emerged from his Wasdale Grove home revving a chainsaw and 'waving it around in a threatening manner'.

The 37-year-old was handed three months in prison and Bossio junior, now 18, 16 months in a young offender institution, suspended for two years.

Mr Sutton said the incident on March 6 of this year had begun with Bossio senior attending the house of a man and speaking to him regarding the man's conduct towards his [Bossio senior's] daughter.

This was, the court heard, reported to Rory Dixon, the complainant in the case who, along with two others, took a taxi to a property near Wasdale Grove.

"When the taxi driver collected them, he formed the opinion that they were all under the influence of drugs or alcohol," said Mr Sutton.

"The complainant was heard to say to the other two something along the lines of: 'Just watch if he starts on me. You might think I'm off my face on drugs, but just watch me'."

The prosecution accepted it was 'likely that one or more of the males were either armed with knives, or at least Rory Dixon wished to give the impression that they were'.

The three males descended on the Bossios' Wasdale Grove home and, the court was told, Bossio senior came out to confront them with the chainsaw. His son was armed with a kitchen knife.

"A witness noted that, when Dean Bossio came out and confronted the three males, Mr Dixon was heard to say to the other two males: 'Get your knives out'," said Mr Sutton.

"During that confrontation, the two groups were shouting at each other.

"Mr Dixon was standing with his hands in the pockets of his jacket.

"At one point, Mr Dixon and his two associates started to back away."

Mr Sutton said that it was 'clear' from mobile phone footage taken by a neighbour that Mr Dixon had turned back and moved towards the Bossios.

The court heard Bossio junior had then stabbed Mr Dixon in the abdomen.

It was told Bossio senior had attempted to assist Mr Dixon, who suffered 'life-threatening' injuries, until a neighbour with medical experience had taken over.

"Paramedics treated Mr Dixon at the scene," said Mr Sutton.

"He was pale and agitated.

"He repeatedly told them that he could not breathe and believed he was going to die.

"His heart rate was too high and his blood pressure was fluctuating.

"A tube was inserted into his abdomen to drain excess fluid."

The court was told Mr Dixon had undergone emergency surgery and 'required significant blood transfusions'.

The court heard Bossio senior told police: "I don't know what happened. I've been in my garden cutting my hedge'.

When armed police arrived to arrest them Bossio junior came out of the house with a blanket wrapped around him and told them he had just woken up, said prosecutors.

Mr Sutton said, in June of this year, Mr Dixon had been 'making a slow recovery'.

Bossio senior, who has 76 convictions to his name, was initially charged with affray but pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of using threatening words or behaviour.

Bossio junior was originally charged with wounding with intent but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge unlawful wounding.

In addition to the suspended sentence of time in a young offender institution, a mental health treatment requirement of two years was made regarding Bossio junior. He was also ordered to complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.