A man who stabbed a nine-year-old boy in the face, head and hands in a random attack in the street has been sentenced to an indefinite hospital order.
The young victim was walking with his older brother along Peveril Road in Peterborough at just after 3pm on May 8 last year when 26-year-old Faisal Khan began following him, Cambridgeshire Police said.
Khan overtook the pair and then doubled back to face them, pulling a knife from his pocket, grabbing the boy and stabbing him about 15 times, the force said.
The attack continued until people began to come out of their homes and onto the street.
Khan, of Almond Road, Dogsthorpe, Peterborough, fled and discarded a bloodied knife on a driveway of a house in Alexandra Road.
The boy was airlifted to hospital and later underwent specialist reconstructive surgery, but was left with life-changing injuries including permanent scarring.
Khan was arrested but it was deemed he was not fit to be interviewed by police.
He admitted attempted murder at a hearing at Peterborough Crown Court on May 30, police said.
The force said Khan was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on Friday to an indefinite hospital order.
He will only be released when he is deemed not to pose any risk to the public, police said.
Dc Rob Giffen, who investigated, 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.”
