A MAN and a 16-year-old boy have appeared in court accused of wounding with intent after a dad was found stabbed at his home.

Michael Cooper, 27, who lives in a caravan park in Thorney Bay Road, Canvey, and the boy from Westcliff, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were jointly charged with unlawfully and maliciously wounding Justin Widdowfield, 42, and aiming to cause grievous bodily harm.

They did not enter a plea when they appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court yesterday, two days after the attack in St Peter’s Avenue, Maldon.

Mr Widdowfield rang police shortly after 1pm on Monday, stating that he had been stabbed by two men in his house.

Officers arrived and found him with multiple stab wounds to his upper body.

An Essex Police spokesman described the injuries as shallow puncture wounds and he was airlifted to Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening.

Cooper, who works for a car dealership firm in Leigh and has a four-year-old son, and the 16-year-old, were stopped in a car by police in South Woodham Ferrers later that day and arrested.

Magistrates declined jurisdiction and sent the case to Chelmsford Crown Court for trial, where the pair will appear on May 12 for a preliminary hearing.

They were both released on conditional bail until that date.

Cooper was released on the conditions that he resides at his home from 7pm to 7am every day, that he must wear an electronic tag and report to Canvey police station every day from Monday to Saturday.

He was also told not to contact the 16-year-old, Justin Widdowfield or his partner Laura Holliday and not to enter Maldon at all.

The 16-year-old also faced bail conditions including to reside at his home from 7pm to 7am every day, report to Westcliff police station every weekend and not to contact Cooper, Justin Widdowfield or Laura Holliday.

He was also told not to enter Maldon