A MAN stabbed a Newport restaurateur on his front doorstep in an attack "which could easily have killed him", a court heard.

Daljit Singh, 38, from Stapleton Road, Bristol, was yesterday jailed for six years after admitting wounding Mozadul Hussain with intent at his home in Rugby Road, Newport, on December 21.

His nephew Roshan Singh, 20, from Sea Mills, Bristol, was convicted of unlawful wounding and sentenced to 12 months at a young offenders' institution. Both were acquitted of attempted murder and abducting a teenage brother and sister in Corporation Road.

Mr Hussain, who owns the Dilshad and Balti Express restaurants, had previously told Cardiff crown court he met Daljit Singh at his Bristol flat four weeks before the stabbing. He said he paid Daljit Singh £20 to have sex with a girl called Christine and was ordered at knife-point to hand over more money.

Mr Hussain said the following day Christine stayed the night with him in Newport. The court heard Daljit Singh lured Mr Hussain outside his home when a girl pretending to be Christine called him on his mobile phone.

The girl's brother claimed in evidence Daljit Singh said to him before the stabbing: "Which part of his body would you like as a souvenir?"

Justice McKinnon told Daljit Singh: "You planned to attack Mr Hussain with a deadly weapon which could easily have killed him.

"For some reason you got it into your head that he was abusing or concealing a prostitute you had befriended".