A deranged knifeman who ran amok in a crowded stre

A deranged knifeman who ran amok in a crowded street stabbing five people including a pregnant woman was branded a ‘grave danger to the public’ and jailed for life at the Old Bailey today.

(fri)

Judge David Stokes, QC, described drink and drug crazed Colin Belcher, 20, who suffered sexual abuse as a child, as a ‘disaster waiting to happen.

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During the frenzy Belcher knifed pregnant mum Gitte Baliti in the back as she wheeled a pushchair down the street.

Fortunately there were no complications and Miss Baliti subsequently gave birth to her child.

After the 10-minute explosion of violence Belcher wandered into a psychiatric unit at Edgware Community Hospital and demanded help.

Belcher, who did not have a history of mental illness, was distraught because his girlfriend had undergone an abortion not long before.

Jobless Belcher, of Golders Green Road, Golders Green, admitted one count of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm in respect of the first woman he knifed, Fatime Mauriqi, 20, who lost a liver in the attack.

He further admitted four charges of unlawful wounding.

Passing sentence Judge Stokes told Belcher: ‘This can truly be described as you running amok in the streets of London with a knife.

‘It looks as though you targeted anyone you could, injuring them with a knife.

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The judge said it was ‘difficult to imagine the harm done’ by Belcher’s savage spree in which ‘one woman had to have her liver removed’ while another was pregnant at the time.

‘I think it is right that you were a disaster waiting to happen.

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Judge Stokes had earlier remanded Belcher for psychiatric assessment but he concluded today (fri) that there was no evidence of mental illness.

The judge said Belcher poses a ‘grave danger to the public’ and sentenced him to life imprisonment in relation to the Miss Mauriqi attack – the maximum term that can be passed for wounding with intent.

He was given three years jail concurrent on each of the remaining wounding charges.

But Judge Stokes said Belcher could be eligible for parole in just three years and four months time.

Belcher had spent most of November 10 last year drinking in the Edge of Town pub in Station Road, Edgeware.

After leaving the pub Belcher followed Miss Mauriqi, who had just got off a bus.

He followed her into Purcells Avenue, went up behind her and grabbed her.

Belcher then dragged the screaming woman to the ground and stabbed her five times in the back.

Miss Mauriqi was later taken to Northwick Park Hospital where doctors were forced to remove a kidney during emergency surgery.

Belcher then ran down Edgwarebury Lane as his rampage of violence continued to spiral.

He knifed butchers Rabah ‘Bruno’ Zougari and Paul Gilbey as they pulled shutters down outside their shop.

Belcher then made his way to Bakery Path, where he held the weapon to the throat of 14-year-old Aris Abyar.

But moments later he attacked Miss Baliti who was walking with a pushchair down Brook Avenue at the time.

Belcher plunged the knife into her back but fortunately the unborn child was not harmed.

He turned up at Edgware Hospital in an agitated state just 50 minutes later where he said at one stage: ‘This hospital killed my baby.

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