A teenager has been jailed after stabbing another teenager in the head with a kitchen knife.

Joshua Goodchild, 19, of New Writtle Street, Chelmsford, stabbed the 19-year-old victim in front of his friends on April 22 at around 3pm along an alley between Fitch’s Mews and Fitch’s Crescent, Maldon.

He had produced the knife from behind his back, asking “Who wants to get dipped first”, before stabbing the victim to the side of the head and making off.

The victim’s friends called for an ambulance, and residents helped the victim while they waited for the paramedics to arrive.

The victim sustained a single deep cut to the side of his forehead and his wound was later glued at hospital.

Goodchild was arrested on May 1 and denied any knowledge of the stabbing during interview.

He was later charged with Grievous Bodily Harm with intent and pleaded guilty at Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday, September 24.

He will serve an eight and-a-half year extended sentence, four and-a-half years to be served in prison and a further four on licence.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Claire Hicks said: “Joshua Goodchild is a dangerous perpetrator who has refused to accept that there was anything fundamentally wrong with his behaviour.

“He attacked his victim with a knife in front of other impressionable young people, including a 14-year-old child.

“This was an unprovoked attack which could have left the victim with really serious injuries.

“Goodchild will now spend a significant amount of time in prison and Essex will be a safer place for that.”

During the investigation a knife, believed to have been the same weapon used in the attack, was found under the bypass over the River Blackwater.

Detective Claire Hicks added: “I want to praise the courage of the victim and thank the members of the public who went to his aid.

“Essex Police will continue to use the full force of the law to deter and detect knife crime.”