A MAN who stabbed his wife’s ex-husband in the heart as he slept has been jailed for 27 years.

Wearing a balaclava and motorbike helmet, William Kelly entered Michael May’s house in East Barnet brandishing a knife and baton at 3.30am.

The 50-year-old, of Lynton Road, Chingford, struck Mr May over the head several times on October 30 last year. He then forced his victim to the ground and pressed the baton to his neck before drawing a knife from a shoulder sheath and stabbing Mr May.

The victim then managed to knock the knife out of Kelly’s hand.

After finding the knife, he ran from the scene saying: “Don’t look at me. Don’t follow me or I’ll kill your kids.”

Mr May managed to drag himself to a phone and called 999.

When police and paramedics arrived they had to force the door open to treat him.

Doctors found Mr May suffered numerous stab wounds and one had pierced his heart, but he survived.

Mr May had previously been married to a woman with whom he had two children.

Following their divorce the victim’s ex-wife married Kelly.

Mr May had recently obtained custody of the two children, who were living with him, but staying with their mother on the night of the attack.

Mr May said that the divorce and subsequent relationship with his ex-wife and her new husband had been acrimonious.

Kelly was identified when police spotted his car on CCTV near the scene shortly after the attack.

A black rubber glove found at the scene was found to contain traces of Kelly’s DNA.

Mr May’s blood was also found on the steering column of Kelly’s Nissan.

He was found guilty of attempted murder at Wood Green Crown Court on Thursday (May 24) and jailed for 27 years the following day.

Judge Nicholas Browne QC said: “That Mr May survived is a considerable miracle. His life was quite simply ebbing away.

“This was a case of level one attempted murder with serious long term harm.

“The clear objective was to end Mr May’s life.”

Detective Constable Matthew Bennett said: “This attack was so ferocious Mr May was lucky to survive and tribute has to be paid to the medical services that came to his aid.”