A MAN who blamed cannabis and alcohol withdrawal symptoms for a frenzied knife attack on five people could face up to 15 years in jail when he is sentenced next week.
Belfast Crown Court heard Craig Binnie (43) posed a "high risk of re-offending'' because of his severe mental health problems.
Binnie, from Tynan Drive in Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, had pleaded guilty in June this year to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to his victims.
He wounded his former partner, her mother and an elderly man as well as stabbing two other people 23 months ago.
The court heard Binnie armed himself with two kitchen knives after he and his partner Angela Bell visited her mother Nancy McDowell at her home on the Ballyduff estate in Newtownabbey on December 30, 2013.
A prosecutor said Binnie attacked Ms Bell and then hit out at Lisa Donaghy when she approached him.
The court heard that fearing for her young son, Ms Donaghy fled the house while Binnie continued to attack Ms Bell as she lay on the floor.
Mrs McDowell tried to intervene but slipped and fell as she tried to get out of her chair.
"She threw her slipper at Binnie and hit him on the head. He then attacked Nancy McDowell while she was on the ground,'' said the prosecution.
Ms Bell eventually escaped and raised the alarm.
Mrs McDowell also managed to escape and contacted her 80-year-old neighbour Samuel Gaynor who Binnie also attacked before the pensioner was able to disarm him.
When Ms Bell's brother Robert McDowell found the defendant, he had a knife in his abdomen and tried to stab himself again.
The court heard that as Mr McDowell leaned forward, Binnie stabbed the other man's leg.
Binnie initially refused to answer police questions but later gave a written statement saying he did not "intend to kill anyone or cause serious injury".
"I suffer from serious mental health problems and in the past, and including the incident in question, I have attempted to take my own life," he wrote.
"I have come off cannabis and drink following a four-year dependency. I was going through severe withdrawal symptoms including paranoia.
"The incident was in no way premeditated. I thought my life was in imminent danger. I regret my actions."
The prosecution lawyer added that Binnie, who is now back in Maghaberry prison after being being treated in a secure unit in Belfast, had five previous convictions for assault, including one on a former girlfriend in Scotland.
Binnie was remanded in custody before next week's sentencing.
