A man has been jailed after he attacked his ex-partner and her male friend in a jealous rage.

Umit Hayta of Second Avenue, Dagenham, was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment, with an extended licence of three years, at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, August 26.

The 39-year-old pleaded guilty at the same court on Friday, June 12 to two counts of grievous bodily harm with intent.

Hayta’s ex said in a victim impact statement: “The incident had a great impact on my day-to-day life. It shook me and my two children. I never imagined this would happen to me.

“I never thought Umit would hurt me. My injuries have now healed, however, they could have been fatal. I am very lucky to be alive.

“The incident comes to my mind time and time again. I feel guilty for what has happened as I always blame myself for what Umit has done to me and [the male victim].

“Umit was a good father to his two children, however this has been ruined by a moment of madness. Umit has ruined my life, his life and his children’s lives.

“What Umit did to me is not acceptable. I could not believe he had stabbed me. It will stay with me for the rest of my life.”

The court heard Hayta and his wife were together for 15 years until she filed for divorce in October 2019.

Hayta’s ex invited a man to her home in Homerton on the evening of Friday, February 21. They had known each other about two months and swapped numbers that afternoon.

He had been there for about 15 minutes before they heard loud banging on the door – the female victim had a strong feeling it is was Hayta.

She ran to the front door, which was being kicked in, and tried to hold it closed. But Hayta eventually forced his way in and immediately began attacking the 24-year-old male as his ex screamed at him to stop.

While Hayta carried out his frenzied attack, the woman shouted at her two young children to run.

She then fled to a neighbour’s address where her children were sheltering, while the male victim ran to the nearby shop where he worked and asked a colleague for help yelling, “Shut the door, he’s going to kill me”.

His colleague called 999 but after realising how injured his friend was, he rushed him to an east London hospital.

He needed urgent surgery for 18 stab wounds and a bleed on the brain, assessed as life-threatening.

Doctors said he could have died from some of the wounds if he was not treated as quickly as he was.

The attack left him with life-changing injuries with police saying he will be dealing with the neurological and emotional consequences with trained professionals for years.

Hayta’s ex-partner needed stitches for lacerations to her back and legs, which she suffered trying to stop the attack.

Hayta fled the scene and drove back home where he called the police.

He stated his full name and said: “I’ve done something wrong. Something, stabbing something. I don’t wanna talk everything. Happened, some stabbing in my partner’s house. My wife’s house. Yeah I did it. I did it. I find her with some man.”

Officers arrested Hayta at his home, where they found blood stained clothes and trainers. He was taken to an east London police station where he answered no comment to all questions.

He was charged on Sunday, February 23 with attempted murder and two counts of grievous bodily harm with intent.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, the male victim’s cousin said: “[My cousin] is one of the kindest and most genuine people I have met.

“He was very well regarded and loved by not only his family but his friends too. He was a popular member of our community and a role model to my children.

“He was never involved in any wrongdoing and had an amazing life with a promising future.

“To this day, we fail to apprehend how someone can physically carry out the act of such cruel violence. This was an unprovoked attack and he did nothing to deserve such cruelty.

“This attack has not just affected [my cousin] but has tormented our entire family. His parents were uncontainable with pain and sorrow.

“He survived the surgery but was in a coma and we were given nil hope about him ever waking up. A miracle happened, one that surprised the team at the hospital as much as we and he survived.

“Every day, I am grateful that he is alive and with us, but unfortunately the new him is not the same person anymore.

“He has severe behavioural and cognitive difficulties and a diminished mental capacity. He is not able to function like an ordinary person anymore.

“He has spent his months bed bound in hospital and is currently still in a brain injury rehabilitation centre being cared for.

“A very fit and healthy young man has been left injured and scarred for life. His hopes and ambitions are dead.

“His old self is dead. While we are eternally grateful that he is alive, this situation has left our family scarred and distraught.”

Det Cons Rajkumar Anton Arulnayagam said: “Hayta carried out a sustained, brutal attack on an innocent man simply because he was spending time with his ex-partner.

“Had Hayta’s victim not attended hospital when he did, he surely would have died from his injuries. However, his life has been changed forever.

“Hayta’s ex-partner also received some nasty injuries as she desperately tried to intervene and stop Hayta’s rampage.

“This was a terrifying ordeal for the victims and the two young children who were in the house at the time.”

The National Domestic Abuse helpline can be contacted on 0808 2000 247.