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Che Ambe, 21, carried out the savage attack

The father of a machete-wielding thug who chopped off the hand of a gang rival has claimed his son was 'already lost' by the time he had any input into the boy's life - after a judge blasted the family for raising him in 'chaos and violence.'

Che Ambe was yesterday ordered to spend the next 15 years behind bars for the brutal broad-daylight attack in a home counties town that left 18-year-old Tyler Stevens permanently disabled on reliant on others for every-day tasks.

Trial Judge Michael Kay QC condemned Ambe's parents for the squalid and violent lifestyle he was brought up in.

Ambe's father said his son was 'already lost by the time he was able to give any input into his son's upbringing'.

Heart-broken Leslie Ambe told MailOnline: 'I feel really bad for what happened to the other boy. It's horrendous. I feel so sorry for his parents too.

'I tried for years to have an input into Che's life but by the time he was living with me he was already lost.

'I had to leave [Che's mother Julie] because it was not an environment to bring up children

'I had to fight in the courts to get custody of my children. But Che was not happy and wanted to stay with his mum.

'Finally the authorities had to literally drag him into care. And from care he went straight into prison

A young Che Ambe, pictured in a shirt and tie, standing behind his grandfather, and next to his grandmother, and his mother, pictured on the far right

'When he came out I wanted him to live with me. But I could not guide him by then it was too late. He was lost.

'And he returned to Watford where all his problems are.

'Now he will have to spend a large part of his life in prison. I hope we can all find a way through this.' 

His uncle Gavin Payne has told how Che fell into a world of violence and criminality after he was torn from his family, chased by police and thrown into care as a child.

'Che never stood a chance,' Mr Payne told MailOnline.

'Che has been sent to jail for 15 years but he was only defending himself. The other boy told the judge he had a knife and that he was going after Che. But Che had bigger teeth.'

Mr Payne, Ambe's maternal uncle revealed how the once-happy-go-lucky youngster's life spiraled out of control after he was torn away from his mother and grandmother and forced to live with his father, after his parents separated.

Speaking on the doorstep of the family home in Watford, Herts, Mr Payne said: 'Che was doing alright until his dad demanded that he come and live with him. In fact he wanted all three of the kids – Che, Jordan and Olivia.

Tyler Stevens, 18,  had his hand chopped off in a 'savage' knife attack as he curled up on a grass verge to protect himself, a jury heard

'But they didn't want to go to live with him. They wanted to stay with their mum.'

Mr Payne conceded that his sister Julie had problems with drink and drugs, but maintained that the wider family had always made sure that the children were safe.

'Julie had her problems, that true. But the kids were always looked after. They lived with their nan [Agnes Payne] for their whole lives until they were torn away from us.

'Che hated living with his dad [Leslie Ambe]. He ran away all the time. They had police helicopters out looking for him. He was only a kid!

'Che would not live with Leslie, so they threw him in care.'

St Albans Crown Court heard Ambe was taken into care aged 12, excluded from school aged 13 and that he was stabbed aged 17.

His uncle claimed that Ambe told him that he was only defending himself when he attacked Stevens with the machete.

'Che was stabbed by the boy that he attacked,' Gavin Payne told MailOnline.

'Che told me that it was a case of life or death. They [Stevens and his entourage] had attacked him and he had to defend himself.

'He said; 'it was him or me. What did you want me to do?'

Judge Michael Kay QC, sentencing, slammed Ambe's parents for the way he was brought up and said the case was 'a story of our times'

Mr Payne claimed that his whole family have been warned not to go to the town where the machete attack took place, Abbots Langley, as they are on a 'hit list' in revenge.

'My little girls have been told not to go to Abbots Langley because we are all on a hit-list because of what Che did. It's mad.'  

Mr Stevens slipped and was then slashed with the machete up to seven times while curled up in a ball trying to protect himself.

The victim, who saw his hand come off, staggered to a friend's house for help, leaving the limb in the road.

Police later retrieved the hand but it was too late for surgeons to reattach it and Mr Stevens now has to use a prosthetic.

Mr Stevens, now 19, told St Albans Crown Court: 'I thought I was going to die. He was hitting me constantly. It was either a machete or a big sword thing. He hit me six or seven times.

'I don't know why it stopped – maybe he saw my hand come off and thought that was too much.'

Ambe was jailed for 15 years after being found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent for the attack in Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire, in February.

Judge Michael Kay, sentencing, slammed Ambe's parents for the way he was brought up and said the case was 'a story of our times'.

Ambe, of Watford, had convictions for 27 previous offences, including three for knife possession. 

He was taken into care aged 12 after being raised by his mother in a world of drink and drugs.

He was expelled from school at 13 and became the victim of a stabbing aged 17.

Judge Kay said: 'It is not society that is at fault. It is your parents and family – the way you have been brought up and accustomed to as a young man, which is chaos and violence.

'You have been involved in a world of violence. Your violence is escalating.

'You post a high risk of harm to others and the risk of further offences is imminent. It is because you know of no other world.

'You are a very angry young man and when you are angry you turn to violence.. You are a story of our times.'

He added that a probation services report had shown Ambe's risk of danger to the public as one of the strongest he had ever seen.

The court heard that Ambe and Mr Stevens' groups of friends did not get along in the lead-up to the brutal attack.

Prosecutor Simon Wilshere said Mr Stevens was attacked with a machete or large knife on the evening of Sunday 10 February this year.

The victim, who is now aged 19, was with a friend and making their way back to the friend's house in Abbots Langley when a moped ridden by Che Ambe approached them.

Mr Wilshire said all three knew each other and did not get on.

As soon as they saw Che Ambe, they started to run, but Mr Stevens slipped.

Mr Wilshere said: 'He got up and ran between two vans, but slipped again. He fell onto the grass verge. Che Ambe started attacking him with a machete or a similar weapon.

'He was hit some six or seven times as he was curled up on the ground, trying to defend himself.

'The attack was as brief as it was savage - one completely severed Tyler Steven's left hand.' 

But the jury was told Ambe acted in self-defence after Tyler Stevens produced a knife and waved it at him. 

Judge Kay concluded by saying: 'Tyler Stevens is left with a life-changing injury. It is evident how his life has changed.

'He still lives in fear of attack, not by you, but by your associates. He has moved from the area. 

'He needs assistance with daily tasks, such as something as simple as cutting up his food.'

The judge ordered a possible sentence extension of five years, meaning that Ambe could be recalled to jail on his release any time up to 2039.