Man jailed for life after attacks

O'Brien was jailed for life after the horrendous attacks

A serial stabber has been jailed for life after six people were seriously injured in a spate of knifings.

Clive O'Brien of Bristol, pleaded guilty last year to five counts of wounding and three counts of robbery

The 22-year-old's accomplice, Craig Buckland, from Banwell, North Somerset pleaded guilty to two counts of wounding and one of robbery.

O'Brien was jailed for life, at Bristol Crown Court. Buckland, 21, was sentenced to five years in prison.

The attacks took place in the centre of Bristol within a 45-minute period in the early hours of 4 April, 2003.

It was nothing short of a miracle that the cyclist survived Mr Justice Butterfield

Three 19-year-old men were stabbed after an argument outside the city's Hippodrome Theatre.

Then a 38-year-old man was robbed and stabbed in Queen Square and a second man was stabbed in nearby Bedminster Parade.

Some 15 minutes later a 35-year-old cyclist was stabbed 25 times in Fraser Road, Bedminster.

Mark Horton, counsel for the Crown, said: "From what O'Brien was to say later while overheard in prison, the persons were chosen because they were 'easy targets'."

After one attack, Mr Horton claimed O'Brien said: "I cannot believe you are still standing, I have stabbed you 20 times."

Sentencing, Mr Justice Butterfield described the attacks at "random, unprovoked and gratuitous".

It was "nothing short of a miracle" that the cyclist survived.

After the hearing Detective Inspector Guy Turner of Avon and Somerset Police said: "O'Brien is a very dangerous man as indicated by the life sentence."