A knifeman has been found guilty of slashing his teenage neighbour during the first coronavirus lockdown.

Ian Bryan, 58, was so enraged by the behaviour of neighbours Liam Roberts and Joshua Catterall that he took a blade downstairs to confront them in St Leonards.

The contractors from Bolton were working at a care home in Bexhill and had rented a holiday let in April.

But several hours after an alleged dispute between them, Bryan lost his temper and “banged violently” on the men’s door.

As soon as 17-year-old Mr Catterall opened it, Bryan slashed him across the throat.

Mr Caterall was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton for surgery and his injuries were life-threatening.

Blood spattered everywhere as the attacker then advanced on Mr Roberts, 32.

Mr Roberts described fighting for his life to overwhelm Bryan.

Brighton Crown Court heard that Bryan had previously been convicted of the manslaughter of his wife after catching her sleeping with another man in 1994.

The jury heard how he killed her and the man and was convicted a year later. Then in 2000 he was convicted for affray after he took a knife and chair leg as weapons to confront nightclub bouncers.

Alan Gardner, prosecuting, told the court Bryan had shown “murderous intent” during the attack in St Margaret’s Road, St Leonards, in April.

He said Bryan’s previous convictions showed a tendency towards using a knife to settle disputes.

A 999 call made by the defendant to the police was played. In it he said: “I’m about to go next door and kill somebody. They are being a********.”

Mr Roberts said: “As he [Joshua] answered the door, I saw his left hand go up, and this guy’s hand go up and across his [Joshua’s] face. There was a shining light, like metal. It was dark but I remember the knife going up.

“Josh leant over and turned around and said ‘he has slashed me’. There was blood everywhere then.”

Judge Christine Henson QC asked the jury to consider if Bryan had the intent to kill them, or to inflict grievous bodily harm, or if the incident had been self defence.

The defendant claimed he had acted in self defence. The jury found him not guilty of the attempted murder of both men, but found him guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr Catterall and attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm on Mr Roberts.

Bryan faces sentencing on December 21.