Woman caught on CCTV minutes before stabbing three revellers in Leicester

Saajidah Mullan skips along Leicester's New Walk during a Friday night out.

Minutes later, she stabbed three women, leaving them bleeding and needing emergency surgery.

Yesterday, Mullan was convicted by a jury of intentionally wounding the women.

Speaking after the case, two of the victims, Carlie Winkless and her mum, Billie Hewerdine, said they hoped Mullan "rots in her prison cell".

They plan to make a complaint to police about their handling of the case on the night.

Officers stopped Mullan at the scene, but then let her go.

Mullan, 20, who is facing "a substantial sentence", burst into tears after hearing the guilty verdicts.

She tearfully waved goodbye to her distressed mother and, as she was led to the cells at Leicester Crown Court, began screaming hysterically.

She will be sentenced next month.

Miss Winkless said: "It has taken 15 months since she left me and my mum bleeding almost to death in the street, but at long last justice has been done.

"When I was told on the phone what the verdicts were I thought 'thank God'.

"I've been praying for this day because Mullan knew what she'd done and she can't expect to get away with it."

Speaking from her home, south of Leicester, that she shares with her mum, she said: "Mullan has ruined my life and she can pay for what she's done.

"I used to do modelling before she stuck a knife in me, leaving scars on my stomach.

"I think she should get a life sentence for public protection. I hate her. I hope she rots in her prison cell."

Ms Hewerdine, who was also badly injured, said: "I'm over the moon with the verdicts.

"We both lay bleeding in the road together thinking we were going to die. I hope and pray she rots in hell.

"She didn't have the decency to plead guilty.

"We've been left with side effects from our injuries and it has affected my mental health.

"The whole family has suffered but I'd like to thank everyone who has been so kind and helped and supported us throughout it all."

Miss Winkless's dad, Chris Winkless, said: "Mullan is evil. She should have admitted it instead of lying to everybody."

Mullan, of Ellesmere Place, Braunstone, denied having a knife or using a knife that night.

Within three days, she had fled to India to escape arrest, although she claimed she went to get "spiritual enlightenment" and was unaware the police were looking for her.

She was arrested on her return, seven months later, at Heathrow Airport.

The stabbing happened in Belvoir Street, on August 29 last year, when Miss Winkless was celebrating her 20th birthday.

Mullan was out with three friends and her sister. Trouble flared when both parties bumped shoulders as they passed.

Miss Winkless, now 21, suffered cuts to her left shoulder and two stomach wounds – one penetrating her abdomen and colon – causing internal bleeding.

Ms Hewerdine, 46, bled profusely from a stomach wound.

Miss Winkless's friend, Leona Carr, 21, from Eyres Monsell, Leicester, was stabbed in her chest, the blade penetrating her right lung, and had her wrist slashed.

Mullan was stopped by police officers almost immediately afterwards when a member of Miss Winkless's group alerted them to the incident.

In the confusion, the officers let her go.

Had they arrested her, it would have avoided a lengthy investigation and prevented Mullan escaping to her parents' holiday home in India – something Ms Hewerdine's family plan to complain to police about.

The jury reached all three guilty verdicts unanimously on the ninth day of the trial.

Judge Richard O'Rorke said a "substantial custodial sentence" would follow and ordered that a pre-sentence report addressed the issue of Mullan's dangerousness.

He also said the offences fell short of attempted murder by only "a narrow margin".

Det Insp Andy Allden, who led the inquiry, said: "I'm happy there are guilty verdicts, considering the harm to the victims and the fact it was violence involving a knife.

"What's surprising about this case is the offender was a young woman of 19 with no previous convictions.

"CCTV images seen in court showed her as a young woman, before the incident clearly out enjoying the evening. She didn't know she was going to stab three people.

"So this case should be a clear indication that if you carry a knife, things can get out of hand and you can end up using it.

"It's an unfortunate aspect of this case that the defendant was stopped by officers yards from the stabbing and moments after it.

"Anybody who saw the CCTV images of that happening would realise what a very confusing scene it was.

"I know my colleagues regret what happened that night. It would have made things far simpler if Mullan had been arrested on that evening and we offer our apologies to the victims for the delay that caused."

Lawrence English, senior prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "It can be difficult to understand the motivations behind crimes of this nature, particularly when the defendant is a young woman with no history of violence.

"However, the defendant's background does nothing to lessen the impact of her crime on the victims."

Watch CCTV of Mullan before stabbbing.

CCTV of Belvoir Street and the 'confusing' scene.