A talented Norwich football with ambitions to play professionally has been jailed after a terrifying knife attack on his former girlfriend.

Dido Mbuly, 20, was due to have a trial for EFL League Two side AFC Wimbledon but is instead now starting a lengthy sentence behind bars. 

Norwich Crown Court was told he had attacked his ex partner and slashed her hand with a knife while in a jealous rage after seeing an old photo of another man on her phone.

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Martin Ivory, prosecuting, said she had attempted to hide under the bedcovers but he had lifted her up by the neck and dragged her into the shower in an attempt to wash off the blood caused by the knife wound. 

He had also threatened her with a broken table leg and picture frame. 
 

(Image: Newsquest)

The ordeal, after he had returned at 4am from a night out on March 16, lasted a number of hours, said Mr Ivory.

He was eventually arrested after concerned neighbours dialled 999.

Mbuly, of Beval Close in Earlham, had initially denied assault occasioning actual bodily harm but changed his plea to guilty the day before a planned trial.  

The court was told at the time of the attack he had been subject to a community order imposed for previous offences including assaulting a police officer and drunk driving while already disqualified.

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Jailing him for two years and four months, Recorder Fraser Butler said a pre-sentence report had found a “lack of maturity” and attempts to minimise the attack.

“Your victim was vulnerable and you used a knife. The impact on her has been substantial,” she added. 

He was made subject of a five year restraining order.

Andrew Oliver, mitigating, said: “He became angry and jealous by what he saw on the phone. The red mist came down and triggered a violent outburst.

“He let himself down and he wants to say sorry for the harm that he has caused.”