A MURDER bid victim who was left fighting for life following an horrific attack has been jailed after being caught carrying a weapon for 'protection'.

Drew Murdoch, 25, suffered a punctured lung, broken ribs and a laceration to his liver — and was in hospital for 11 weeks — after being set upon last September.

He is today beginning a 15-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to having a bladed 'multi-tool' with him on a Greenock street.

The town's sheriff court was told that Murdoch also made an 'awful' threat to police after telling officers: "I got stabbed and it's just for a bit of protection."

His latest jail term is in addition to a ten-month sentence handed to him last month for threatening to knife a man within a shop in Port Glasgow.

The court heard that the multi-tool had its saw-like blade extended from the body of the device when Murdoch was caught with it.

His lawyer Aidan Gallagher said: "The background to his comments to the police is that around September last year he was subject to a serious attack, which at the time was treated as an attempted murder.

"He suffered a punctured lung, three broken ribs and a laceration to his liver.

"Mr Murdoch was in hospital for approximately 11 weeks.

"He was discharged from hospital shortly before Christmas and is still in recovery."

Prosecutor Emma Jeffrey said: "Police had observed the accused making his way up Ann Street and had reason to detain him for a search.

"He was asked if he had anything sharp and he stated, 'Aye, I've got a flick knife'."

The Telegraph told last month how Murdoch made a drug-fuelled threat to stab a man in the Port's Spar store after mistaking him for someone else.

Sheriff Andrew McIntyre told Murdoch: "You had a weapon on the streets and in addition you made this awful threat to the police.

"You have a history of threatening the police and behaving in an aggressive and violent manner.

"Prison is the only way to reflect the seriousness of your conduct."