The widow of a man attacked with a knife by Khalid Masood in a pub assault has told how he was injured after defending someone during a row.

Masood was jailed for two years over the 2000 attack in the car park of the Crown and Thistle in Northiam, near Rye.

Masood, who stood trial as Adrian Elms, left Piers Mott with a three-inch gash on his left cheek requiring 20 stitches after an altercation with racial overtones on Sunday July 16.

Mr Mott has since died, but speaking on Friday in the village his widow Heather Mott told the Press Association: "My husband was defending someone who was working for him.

"I don't know how it happened. Piers was just defending this guy."

A judge jailed him for two years for attacking the cafe owner and slashing his face.

Elms attacked Mr Mott after a row at their local on a Sunday afternoon.

He admitted unlawful wounding and criminal damage and Hove Crown Court heard that the argument contained racial overtones.

Elms, then of Hastings Road, Northiam, lost his temper in the row and slashed seat covers in Mr Mott's car after leaving the pub.

When the victim arrived, Elms waved the knife at him and caught his face, leaving Mr Mott needing more than 20 stitches.

Lindsay Burn, prosecuting, said Elms was shouting abuse and waving the knife about.

When Mr Mott got close, his face was cut and he went back into the pub and waited for an ambulance, bleeding profusely.

The court heard that Elms had the knife as he had been decorating his daughter's room at their house. He had drunk four pints of beer during the afternoon.

Alexander Taylor-Camara, defending, said: “When the defendant moved to the area it was to try and give his family and himself a better and more tranquil way of life.

“He particularly chose an area such as this village because of the lifestyle and people there.

“The majority of people seemed to get on well with them, but there was a problem with this man. Things got out of hand on this particular day.”

He added: “His wife and family have now become ostracised in the village. It is a very small community and his wife and family have been extremely affected by this.

“He will effectively have to move his family from the village and start to live his life all over again.

“It will leave the village with a view of black people in the area. The trust that may have been there in the beginning is now completely lost.

“He does deeply regret this incident ever arising and expresses remorse for what he has done.”

Judge Charles Kemp sentenced Elms to two years in prison for wounding and nine months for criminal damage, to run concurrently.

He said Elms had gone to considerable lengths to make a success of his life in rural Sussex – “You obtained a university degree and began and built up and maintained a successful business.

“But the reality is that you lost your temper and went beyond the bounds of what is reasonable.”

Adrian Baker, 51, who has lived in Northiam for 25 years, told the Press Association on Friday that Elms was known as a "troubled" character.

He said: "I'm gobsmacked. He didn't appear to be very religious. He would go into the local pubs.

"I do remember a fracas involving a guy called Piers Mott. This was a long time ago. I remember Elms being a bit of a troubled character, which is probably the best way to describe him.

"He got into a bit of trouble. Piers was a really nice guy, an older chap who didn't deserve to get stabbed.

"I wasn't in the pub at the time but heard about it. Adrian Elms didn't have a very good reputation."