Nabil Errouam jailed for six years over Southampton Common knife attack

Nabil Errouam then used the knife to attack a partially-sighted man, before holding it to another woman's neck during a "terrifying" incident on Southampton Common.

Police attempted to stop Errouam, even warning he would be shot if he didn't stop his attack.

But the 35-year-old, who was in a psychosis fuelled by a cocktail of strong cannabis and alcohol, told officers he wanted to be killed.

He was finally stopped when an officer Tasered him, bringing him crashing to the ground.

Yesterday Errouam appeared at Southampton Crown Court he was jailed for a total of six years.

The court heard how Errouam carried out the attack on Southampton Common, near to the Cowherds Pub, around 4.20pm on December 13.

Prosecutor Matthew Lawson said how Errouam grabbed his 17-year-old victim, who saw the 10 inch blade.

He said: "He began stabbing her legs and buttocks with the knife. She suffered 13 wounds."

Mr Lawson said more than a dozen calls were made to police by witnesses, while other passers-by grabbed sticks in a bid to fight Errouam off.

But Errouam repeatedly swung his knife to frighten them off.

A large group of police armed with batons were deployed and attempted to move in on Errouam as he continued to hold the 17-year-old at knifepoint.

The court was shown police body worn camera footage of the incident, in which the victim was heard screaming "help me, help me" at the top of her voice.

One police officer discharged their Taser at Errouam, but it did not penetrate his clothes.

He attempted to flee, with police warning that armed police were on the way and he would be shot.

In the video, Errouam is heard screaming back "shoot me" at the chasing officers.

Mr Lawson said Errouam then ran in the direction of a partially-sighted man, walking with his guide dog, and turned his knife in his direction, cutting him as he ran past.

Errouam then grabbed another woman, aged 18, and put his knife to her throat.

Officers Tasered him again, bringing him to the ground, where he was detained.

Reading from a victim impact statement, Mr Lawson said the 17-year-old victim had been "absolutely terrified" by the incident.

He said the incident left her needing hospital treatement for her wounds - which were described as "superficial".

He said: "She thought she was going to die.

"She said that he kept trying to pull her towards the woods and she thought he was going to kill her in there."

The partially-sighted man said in a statement that he was "shocked by the randomness of the attack", while the second woman said she was "extremely shocked during the incident".

Mr Lawson also referred to statements from police officers, many whom described it as "the most frightening incident they had ever had to deal with".

Mr Lawson said: "One officer said if he was armed with a gun he would have used it and would have shot to kill."

In mitigation, Richard Onslow said the incident had been sparked by Errouam's use of cannabis, which had led to the breakdown of his marriage.

He said Errouam had drunk alcohol and smoked cannabis prior to the incident, sparking a form or psychosis in which he "wanted his life to be ended".

Mr Onslow said Errouam had not intended to cause serious harm.

He said: "If he wanted to do serious harm he had plenty of opportunity, but he didn't.

"He says if he could turn the clocks back and live that day differently he would give almost anything to do that."

Judge Nicholas Rowland sentenced Errouam to a total of six years for the most serious of the offences, the kidnap of the 17-year-old victim.

He said: "The weapon you had was quite rightly described by Mr Onslow as a fearsome knife."

"This must have been a terrifying episode for the victims.

"It was a wholly volatile situation which could have led to a tragic loss of life."

As well as kidnap, Errouam, of Oxford Avenue, Southampton, was sentenced to two counts of wounding, one count of threatening with a knife, one count of affray and one count of possession of a bladed article.

Errouam, who pleaded guilty to all of the offences, was given concurrent sentences on each of the counts, meaning a total sentence of six years.

Algerian-born Errouam will face deportation from the UK once his sentence is served.