Thug warned love rival he was a 'dead man' before burying meat cleaver in the back of his head

A jealous ex-boyfriend told a love rival that he was a "dead man walking" before chasing him and burying a meat cleaver in the back of his head in a revenge attack.

Anthony Thompson was enraged that his ex-girlfriend Nicola Crossley had met a new man and he was helping care for his four-year-old son.

The 28-year-old, who had previous convictions for assaulting Crossley, confronted Cameron Sharp outside Crossley's home in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester.

Thompson launched into the attack at 6.30am on 2 September after waiting for Sharp to leave her home screaming at 'I am going to kill you, you're a f****** dead man'.

Manchester Crown Court heard that the bus driver believed that his child had been "poorly treated" by Sharp, something which he had no proof of.

Thompson from Farnworth, near Bolton, admitted attempted murder and was jailed for life, with a minimum term of 10 years, on Tuesday (21 November).

In a blood-curdling statement Sharp said he can still remember the sound of the cleaver slamming into his head.

"Part of the problem is that Anthony has never got over losing Nicola. On the build up to this attack I have had numerous threats to kill stating that I am a dead man walking," Sharp said according to the Daily Mail.

"I never imagined the actions that he took upon himself. We have had nothing but trouble from Anthony but we have stayed strong.

"I felt lucky to be alive, I thought I was going to die. I still remember the sound of the meat cleaver when it hit my skull and the feeling of having to pull it out. I tried my best to defend myself.

"I continue to have flashbacks from the incident and have had several panic attacks since the attack."

The court was told how Thompson had been in a four-year relationship with Crossley, 30, and they had a son together, before they broke up in 2016.

Thompson had sent threatening messages to Sharp and Crossley and was banned from contacting the couple and last July he was ordered to face a trial for harassment, the court heard.

On one occasion the defendant attacked Sharp headbutting him and biting his ear before he was restrained and had previously confronted Sharp making a throat slitting motion with his finger, the court was told.

On the day of the attack Thompson chased Sharp, stabbing him and slashing him around the head with the six-inch meat cleaver.

Sharp suffered a fractured skull and other injuries, but managed to get himself to safety while Thompson ran to his sister's house, the court was told.

Thompson later admitted there was a fight between the two of them but he had not intended to "kill him", the crown stated.

In mitigation his lawyer Amos Waldman said the defendant is "extremely remorseful" after wrongly believing his son was mistreated by Sharp.

Thompson has been made subject to a restraining order preventing him from contacting Crossley or Sharp indefinitely.