AN Oxfordshire father who was stabbed on his own doorstep by a 15-year-old boy has hit out at ‘absolutely pathetic’ sentencing handed out by judges in Oxfordshire.

Speaking publicly for the first time since the incident which hospitalised him a year ago, Andy Holding pointed out that drivers convicted of minor offences regularly face fines higher fines than his teenage attacker.

The Wantage resident had to have an operation on his right forearm, several stitches, counselling and time off work after the attack by two boys, then aged 15 and 16, who knew his 15-year-old son.

In the early hours of December 21 last year, the 47-year-old said he attempted to calm a situation outside his house with the two youths, who cannot be named for legal reasons, after a night of threats and anti-social behaviour outside his home in Smiths Wharf off Mill Street.

His terrified daughters, 10 and 11, and wife were inside the house when he was punched in the face and stabbed. The two youths were forced to pay £220 between them.

Mr Holding said the boy who stabbed him was yet to pay any of his £50 compensation.

In late October, he was sentenced at Oxford Magistrates' Court on five counts of common assault, assaulting a constable in the execution of their duty, criminal damage to property, possessing an offensive weapon in a public place, affray and inflicting grievous body harm without intent, the last of which he denied.

Legal experts say a youth court can impose a maximum of 24 months detention and training in such cases.

The boy was also given a two-year restraining order and youth rehabilitation order, in which he has to ‘participate in reparation’ for 10 days, be monitored by an electronic device and told to participate in a ‘weapon intervention tool kit’.

Mr Holding said: “Personally I believe the sentence is absolutely pathetic for the crimes which were committed, especially the knife crime offence of stabbing and having a knife in a public place.

“The only thing I can be grateful for is that he was found guilty in court of stabbing me and that I have partially recovered from my stab wound and psychological injury, but I’m very disappointed in the British criminal justice system, and especially the judge who sentenced the youth who committed very serious crimes.”

Mr Holding, who also praised the police constable involved in his case, added: “My guess is you’d probably be punished and fined more for driving in a bus lane, which makes a mockery of our criminal justice system.”

A standard penalty charge notices for driving in a bus lane are £90 – £20 more than the fine the youth who stabbed Mr Holding was told to pay.

Earlier in the evening, one youth had sent threatening messages to Mr Holding’s son – including a threat to kill his father – spat at him, kicked a car and repeatedly kicked the family’s door.

Russell Hayes, a spokesman for the judiciary office which represents judges, said the organisation would not comment on individual cases, but added: “Every case will have different circumstances and the judges explain these in court.

"They sentence according to the individual facts of each case and within the relevant sentencing guidelines."

He said that victims unhappy with sentencing can complain to the Attorney General.