A man who launched two separate knife attacks upon two strangers in the centre of Belfast within minutes of each other has been jailed.
One victim sustained 15 stab wounds to his body after being attacked outside a pub while the second was stabbed once in the chest as he stood outside a fast food outlet.
As he sentenced Derek Paul McOwen to ten-and-a-half years at Belfast Crown Court, Judge Gordon Kerr KC revealed the 29-year old - who has amassed 85 previous convictions - has been deemed as a “dangerous offender” by the Probation Service.
Due to this assessment, Judge Kerr imposed an additional extended period of three years on licence which will be served when McOwen is released.
McOwen, whose address was given as HMP Maghaberry, carried out both knife attacks in the early hours of July 2 2022.
The first incident occurred outside Pug Ugly's pub on Bedford Street.
A couple were standing outside the pub when McOwen walked past them and made a comment to a woman. The male then walked after McOwen when, without warning, McOwen turned and started flailing at him with a knife.
A few minutes after this, McOwen launched a second attack against a man standing outside a take-away outlet on Amelia Street.
Following his arrest, McOwen gave a no comment response to police during an interview.
He later pleaded guilty to two counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and to a charge of possessing a bladed article in a public place.