on a man who plunged a four-inch blade into a man's head, piercing his brain.

Randy Eric Benjamin, 27, was jailed after being found guilty of unlawful wounding by a jury at the Supreme Court in February, this year.

He had lodged an appeal against conviction and also sought leave to appeal against sentence.

However the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal against conviction and also refused Benjamin leave to appeal against sentence.

During the February court case, the jury was told that in July 1993 Benjamin and his friends, Orien Thomas and Eric MacIntosh, became involved in a fight with Craig Tavares, Joshua MacGavern and Michael Robson, of Middle Road, Southampton.

Benjamin, then of Lusher Hill, Warwick, plunged a knife, with a four-inch blade, into Robson's temple -- piercing his brain -- the court heard.

He claimed during the court case that he was acting in self-defence during the fight outside the Ice Queen, in Paget.

The jury found Benjamin not guilty of attempted murder but guilty of unlawful wounding.

Mr. Justice Ground sentenced Benjamin to four years for the wounding charge and one year for possessing a knife. The sentences were to run concurrently.