TWO young men who “stalked” a stranger “like a couple of urban hyenas” - before one of them knifed him - have been jailed.

Drug dealer Jordan Dobson, 20, stabbed the victim in the back with a survival hunting knife as he fled, York Crown Court heard.

He had a BB gun and more than £300 in heroin and crack cocaine on him, said Austin Newman, prosecuting.

Dobson’s companion Joseph Cragg, 19, started the violence by grabbing the victim’s collar and punching the back of his head.

The victim had been walking along a town centre street at 11pm on September 24 when the two attackers, whom he did not know, accosted him and demanded payment for a debt.

He walked off, but they followed him.

Dobson pulled out the knife and as the victim ran off, chasing him and striking out with the weapon.

“The complainant was doggedly pursued along the street for some distance,” said Mr Newman.

The victim felt the knife hit one of his ribs.

The Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, said that had been fortunate for the victim because if it had not hit the bone, he could have been killed.

He told Dobson he was lucky he wasn’t on a murder charge.

“You two stalked him like a couple of urban hyenas,” he told the attackers.

They had planned the attack because Dobson had bought the knife earlier that day and had it with him.

Dobson, of Wycliffe Avenue, Osbaldwick, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, carrying a knife as an offensive weapon, possessing heroin with intent to supply and possessing cocaine with intent to supply.

He was jailed for six years and eight months.

He was not charged in connection with the BB gun.

Cragg, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to affray and was jailed for nine months.

Dobson’s legal team handed in a psychiatric report saying he had mild learning difficulties and was addicted to cannabis.

“He was selling drugs to fund his own habit,” said defence barrister Glenn Parsons.

According to Dobson’s family, he was being used by other people who were the “driving force” behind the violence.

The barrister said Dobson believed he needed to take out the knife for his own protection.

For Cragg, Sean Smith said he was easily led and had been assaulted more than once in jail while on remand.

Mr Newman said a CCTV operator spotted the violence in Castle Street, Scarborough, on September 24, kept the cameras on it and contacted police.

As the defendants ran off, the operator followed them by camera.

Dobson discarded the knife as the pair hid in some bushes, but was caught after he ran off. Cragg was arrested in the bushes.

The judge praised the CCTV operator’s work.

The victim suffered a 2cm wound. He was taken to accident and emergency and later discharged himself.

In a personal statement, the court heard he said being assaulted by strangers had affected him psychologically.