A MURDER bid knifeman who 'ferociously' stabbed a young man in broad daylight in the centre of an Inverclyde town has been jailed for six years.

Andrew Sutherland, 31, was out of prison on licence for a life-threatening assault when he brutally attacked 18-year-old Reece Warnock in Princess Street, Port Glasgow.

A High Court judge yesterday described the attempted murder — which occurred in August last year — as 'excessively violent'.

Sutherland followed the teenager in and out of the Port's Spar convenience store before suddenly knifing him a number of times in full view of horrified members of the public.

Lord Armstrong told the vicious thug: "You struck Mr Warnock repeatedly with a knife and kicked him on the head and body.

"It was a brutal, excessively violent and a sustained attack perpetrated with the use of a bladed weapon.

"It took place on a public street in front of people going about their daily business.

"It was a ferocious and murderous attack and the injuries inflicted on him were life threatening."

The High Court in Glasgow was told that Mr Warnock suffered a laceration to his liver, collapsed lungs and multiple cuts to his arms.

As well as the six-year prison term, Sutherland will also be subject to an extended three-year sentence with strict supervision following his eventual release.

The court was told previously how Mr Warnock was carrying out a community payback unpaid work order when he was attacked at around 3pm on August 27, 2019.

Prosecutor Owen Mullan said: "Reece Warnock appeared oblivious to the fact that the accused was walking after him.

"The accused then seized Reece Warnock by the body and then repeatedly struck him with a knife."

Shocking CCTV footage of the attack — which was played in court — shows Sutherland with the knife and striking Mr Warnock with it multiple times before kicking him while he was on the ground.

The video also captured him closing over what appears to be a lock-back knife.

Sutherland then gets into a taxi with another man and the vehicle is driven away.

Mr Warnock managed to get to his feet and reach the nearby Semichem store before collapsing in front of shocked staff there.

He was conveyed to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, where he remained for a number of days before being discharged on August 31.

Prosecutor Mr Mullan said: "Mr Warnock's injuries were deemed life threatening.

"He died on October 17, 2019 from a drugs overdose.

"At the time of his death, he was living at home with his mother and brother."

Sutherland had been released early from a five-year sentence for an assault to danger of life when he tried to kill Mr Warnock.

Defence advocate John McIlroy told the High Court in Glasgow that his client 'bitterly regrets' what he did.