A 19-year-old man has been found guilty of wounding two friends in an horrific knife attack at a flat in Queensbury last summer.

One of Leon Dowbenko’s victims died on the way to hospital and only survived after an emergency operation in the back of an ambulance.

Dowbenko, of Fairfax Road, Bradford, was cleared of three attempted murder allegations over the attack, but the jury at Bradford Crown Court rejected a defence of insanity at the end of a four-day trial during which they heard expert psychiatric evidence about his mental state.

Late yesterday, after more than five hours of deliberation the jury found Dowbenko guilty of two charges of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm in relation to the attacks on aspiring actor Taylor Wells, 23, and his 20-year-old friend Jake Oldfield.

Dowbenko was also convicted of attempted wounding with intent in respect of their friend 21-year-old Olivia Pentelow.

Last August Mr Wells told the T&A how the ambulance crew performed a life-saving operation on him after he had been stabbed in the heart during the attack at a flat in Sand Beds on July 21.

He said it was not until he had jumped from the roof of his friend’s flat and went to get help that he realised he had been stabbed.

Mr Wells said he passed out on the pavement and only found out later how close he came to death.

“I didn’t wake up for three days,” he said.

“They must have told me when they took the bandages off and I realised that’s what my torso is like.

“I was stabbed once in the heart and once in the lung.”

After spending a week and a half in hospital Mr Wells was allowed home but he was left with scars across and down his chest.

The former shoe shop worker said his two friends had suffered nightmares after the incident.

“I’m just glad to have woken up,” he added.

After the jury returned their guilty verdicts yesterday Judge Jonathan Rose explained that Dowbenko, who is currently detained in a hospital unit, could face a life sentence or extended sentence, a hospital order or a hybrid of the two types of custodial sentence.

“All of those options are on the table,” said the judge who remanded Dowbenko back into custody until his sentence hearing on November 22.

The judge ordered a psychiatric assessment of Dowbenko and said he also wanted victim impact statements.

“It is very important I understand, particularly in the case of Mr Wells and Mr Oldfield, the ongoing consequences of this attack,” said the judge.

Judge Rose thanked the jury for their work on a complex and difficult case and said he needed the reports to make the right decision for the defendant, the victims of his crimes and the public.

“Mr Dowbenko the jury have found you guilty of three exceptionally serious offences. Offences for which a life sentence of imprisonment could be imposed,” said the judge.

“It is likely you are going to detained for a very long period of time.”