'Incredibly brave' nine-year-old boy stabbed 15 times in random knife attack

A man who repeatedly stabbed an "incredibly brave" nine-year-old boy has been sentenced to an indefinite hospital order.

Faisal Khan, 26, from Peterborough, attacked the child while he was walking with his older brother in the middle of the day.

The boy was stabbed about 15 times during the attack on 8 May last year.

The victim was walking along Peveril Road in Peterborough with his brother shortly after 3pm when Khan started following them.

Khan overtook them, then doubled back to face them before pulling a knife out of his pocket.

He grabbed the boy and stabbed him in the face, head and hands in an unprovoked attack, which continued until residents came out of their homes.

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Khan fled the scene and discarded a bloodied knife on the driveway of a house on Alexandra Road.

The boy was airlifted to hospital and had reconstructive surgery, but was left with life-changing injuries, including permanent scarring.

Khan was later arrested but deemed unfit to be interviewed by police. He pleaded guilty to attempted murder at Peterborough Crown Court on 30 May.

He was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court last Friday to an indefinite hospital order and will only be released when he is judged not to pose any risk to the public.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Rob Giffen, of Cambridgeshire Police, said: “I can only imagine the feeling of sheer terror these two boys had when approached by a stranger in the street who then pulled out a knife.

"I would like to praise them for being so incredibly brave despite their ordeal.

“The impact of his attack on the young victim should not be underestimated – he was left scared to go out, stopped seeing his friends, had nightmares and couldn’t understand why someone would attack him for no reason.

“Alongside all of this he has been left with injuries that will stay with him for life.

"I hope the conclusion of this case brings some closure for him and his family and allows them to move on from this traumatic period in their lives.”