Leeds West Indian Carnival-goer feared he was going to die after being stabbed in chest during parade in attack by group of men containing footballer Mallik Wilks

A court heard the victim feared for his life after he suffered a collapsed lung and struggled to breathe after being attacked as he was was dancing at the event in 2017.

The victim was left covered in blood and had visible stab injuries.

The violence was witnessed by shocked and frightened members of the public.

Leeds Crown Court heard Wilks and the group of males he was with then attacked another man moments later when he tried to intervene to help the stab victim.

He was knocked to the ground and kicked and punched several times.

David Gordon, prosecuting, said Wilks was the only person to be identified and prosecuted over the incident which happened on August 28, 2017.

Wilks, now a player for Hull City, was given an 18 month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, after pleading guilty to affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The 21-year-old was also ordered to pay £2,000 compensation to the stab victim and £900 compensation to the second victim who was assaulted.

Wilks was initially charged with violent disorder over the incident.

Mr Gordon said there was no evidence that Wilks was responsible for inflicting the stab injuries.

Although the area of Chapeltown where the attack took place is covered by CCTV cameras, the quality of the images were not clear enough to identify anyone involved.

Mr Gordon said: "No one has been charged in relation to this incident apart from the defendant Mallik Wilks.

"In his case the view was taken by the prosecution that there is insufficient evidence to charge him as a principal or secondary party.

"There is sufficient evidence to charge him with affray on the basis that he was among a number of other young men who were part of this serious public violence."

Wilks was identified by the stab victim and a number of other witnesses as being among the group responsible for the violence.

The stab victim later told police he knew Wilks from when they both attended Abbey Grange School.

He said Wilks was not the "main aggressor" in the incident.

The victim described how he tried to calm the situation when the group became aggressive but was then attacked.

Mr Gordon said he was knocked to the ground and curled up into a ball.

He was punched and kicked but then felt stabbing pains.

Other witnesses described seeing the victim attacked with two knives.

A cousin of the stab victim identified Wilks as being responsible for throwing punches.

The prosecutor said some witnesses were able to identify Wilks as he was a "well known public figure in the professional footballing world."

The stab victim described in a statement to the court how he feared he would not survive the attack.

He was in intensive care for five days and had to have fluid drained from his lung.

The court heard he was unable to work as a personal trainer for weeks after the attack.

He also described how the carnival was the highlight of the year for him but he had not attended the annual event since.

The assault victim suffered bruising to his body. He described how he believed he was attacked "for no reason at all".

Wilks denied any involvement in the fighting when he was first interviewed by police.

He chose not to comment during his second interview.

The court heard Wilks had one previous conviction for violent disorder, committed in 2013 when he was aged 14.

James Lake, mitigating, said Wilks' financial situation had changed since his court appearance earlier this month as Hull City have been relegated from the EFL Championship.

Mr Lake said Wilks is now earning £3,000 per week.

The barrister said Wilks' mortgage was £1,000 per month and he has a partner and two children to support.

Mr Lake said Wilks also provided support for another child from a previous relationship.

At the earlier hearing, Mr Lake said his client had made positive changes to his life since the incident.

He said Wilks has signed a three-year contract with Hull City but would be sacked if he was sent to custody.

Mr Lake said the incident happened when Wilks was just 18 years old and was struggling to come to terms with the murder of his brother Raheem Wilks.

Raheem was shot and killed in a targeted shooting at a barber's shop in January 2017.

Sentencing Wilks, Judge Mushtaq Khokhar said: "This event took place in full view of other bystanders, other witnesses.

"Only God knows what would have gone through their minds when they saw, closely connected, two incidents of violence taking place in the course of the carnival.

"It was meant to be an enjoyable experience for those who attended.

"It is a serious incident indeed and would be much more serious had there been more evidence of your involvement of (the victim's) stabbing."