Grinning from ear to ear, this was the reaction of a thug spared jail for stabbing a complete stranger moments after a court was told of his ‘genuine remorse’ for his actions.

Issac Francis, 22, ran up behind a man who was being set upon, and despite not knowing anyone involved, knifed him twice in the buttock.

Yet despite having a previous conviction for robbery and possession of a bladed article, Francis walked free from court after a judge was told the offence had been the ‘wake-up call he needed’.

However minutes later, the attacker was posing for triumphant selfies outside the courtroom, no doubt in order to show family and friends his narrow escape.

Flanked by a supporter who gave a thumbs-up, smartly-dressed Francis used his phone to record his reprieve before walking off to celebrate, still with a smirk on his face.

Grinning from ear to ear, this was the reaction of Isaac Francis who was spared jail for stabbing a complete stranger moments after a court was told of his ‘genuine remorse’ for his actions

Francis, 22, ran up behind a man who was being set upon, and despite not knowing anyone involved, knifed him twice in the buttock

Flanked by a supporter who gave a thumbs-up, smartly-dressed Francis used his phone to record his reprieve before walking off to celebrate

The apparently lenient sentencing – which resulted from time he had spent locked up on remand – comes at a time when Britain’s knife crime epidemic is worsening.

Figures released in July showed a five per cent increase in offences involving blades in England and Wales last year.

But some police forces saw a larger increase, with Scotland Yard recording a 16 per cent rise in the year to March.

Possession of blades was up 13 per cent across England and Wales, according to the Office for National Statistics figures, while threats to kill involving knives have soared by 24 per cent in the last two years.

Francis ran up behind a man who was being attacked by three others in Manchester’s Piccadilly Gardens in March last year and stabbed him twice with a knife in the left buttock, the city’s crown court heard.

The man was taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary where he received stitches for two 2cm stab wounds. Francis, of Little Hulton, Salford, fled and was arrested a week later after being identified through CCTV footage.

He later admitted wounding and possession of a bladed article.

Francis ran up behind a man who was being attacked by three others in Manchester’s Piccadilly Gardens in March last year and stabbed him twice with a knife in the left buttock

The court heard he has a previous conviction for robbery and possession of a bladed article for which he received an 11-month referral order in 2019.

Representing Francis in court, Nicola Carroll said he had ‘genuine remorse’ for his actions and the offence had been the ‘wake-up call he needed’.

She said the thug – who was supported in court by his mother – had ‘complex psychological needs’ and had got involved in the fight due to a ‘misplaced sense of loyalty to those involved’.

Passing sentence, Recorder Alexandra Simmons said she was ‘satisfied’ Francis was remorseful, and acknowledged his young age and psychological needs.

The court heard he has a previous conviction for robbery and possession of a bladed article for which he received an 11-month referral order in 2019

But she said an offence committed in the city centre with knives deserved a custodial sentence.

Despite this, she sentenced Francis to a community order due to the fact he had already been on curfew and remand for the equivalent of the 18-month prison sentence he would have been given.

He was handed an 18-month community order with a 120 day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement and 30 rehabilitation days.

Francis was also banned from entering Piccadilly Gardens.