Zombie knife was buried so deep into victim's back it had to be surgically removed

Jack Parfitt was wearing a balaclava when he led accomplice Aaron Toward-Parker in the attack at a park near Covingham Square in January.

After the 18-year-old identified his target he opened fire with the BB gun, then told his mate to get out his terrifying zombie knife.

After waving it about, Toward-Parker, also 18, then smashed the hilt of the weapon into the head of one of gun victim's friends, before plunging it into his lower back.

The knife was so firmly embedded into the lower torso of the victim that it had to be removed on the operating table.

Now, a judge has put Parfitt - just 17 at the time of the attack - on a youth rehabilitation order as he has served eight months inside on remand.

And he also told him that he was lucky not to have been facing a more serious charge for his involvement in the stabbing.

Parfitt had been upset because he thought a colleague of his pregnant girlfriend had been flirting with her and arranged to meet up with him at the park.

As the supposed love rival was waiting at about 9pm he saw two masked men arrive on bikes, one brandishing a gun.

Parfitt opened fire, hitting his rival in the face and then in his torso.

The x-ray of the knife Picture: WILTSHIRE POLICE

Parfitt then told Toward-Parker to “back out the shank’, instructing his friend to get out his knife. The younger man pistol whipped the shooting victim, leaving him with a cut to his head.

Knifeman Toward-Parker waved the large weapon before bringing the hilt down on the head of the second victim, after he asked what he was doing.

Toward-Parker told his victim “Don’t think I won’t bore you out with the knife”, before plunging it into his buttocks.

At the trial the defendant denied using those words, claiming he had lost his grip on the weapon as they scuffled and it accidentally penetrated his victim.

Parfitt, of Tudor Walk, Walcot, admitted unlawful wounding, possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence

Swindon Crown Court, where the men appeared to face GBH charges

The court heard the wounding was from the cut to the head when he struck his supposed love rival and not the shot, which only caused a cut lip.

Emma Handslip, defending, said her client had been on remand for eight months. That time would not come off any sentence the court imposed.

She said Parfitt, who pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, had done well in custody and had stable accommodation and an offer of work when he comes out.

Judge Peter Crabtree said: “This was an attack which involved a significant degree of premeditation. Use of a weapon and you had Mr Toward-Parker there for support.”

He imposed a two-year youth rehabilitation order with supervision for 24 months and intensive supervision.

Parfitt must also complete a weapons awareness course, do a two-month night time curfew and 40 hours of unpaid work.

The judge said the maximum he could impose would be a two-year detention and training order, but after he had taken the time on remand into account it would shorten it to a few months.

After hearing how much progress Parfitt had made during his time inside, he said it was best for him and his rehabilitation to pass the stringent community order.

Toward-Parker, of Bath Road, had denied wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, saying the blade went in by accident. A jury last week took an hour to find him guilty.

He has been remanded in custody for reports to be prepared and will be sentenced in October where he is expected to get a lengthy jail term.