A man aged 20 has been sentenced to a Hospital Order without limit of time for a frenzied and entirely unprovoked attack on his three friends.

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

Dowbenko, of Fairfax Road, Cullingworth, was convicted by a jury in August last year of two charges of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm. His victims were aspiring actor and model Taylor Wells, 23, and his 20-year-old friend Jake Oldfield.

He was also found guilty of attempting to cause Mr Oldfield’s girlfriend Olivia Pentelow, 21, grievous bodily harm with intent at their flat in Sand Beds, Queensbury, on July 21, 2020.

Dowbenko was cleared of three attempted murder allegations in relation to the three young people following the trial at Bradford Crown Court.

Three victims of attack by knifeman give harrowing accounts

The jurors rejected a defence of insanity after hearing expert psychiatric evidence about his mental state.

He was today sentenced on a video link to Newton Lodge, a medium secure hospital near Wakefield where he is being treated.

Judge Jonathan Rose heard evidence from a forensic psychologist that a Hospital Order with restrictions was recommended by the clinicians.

Dowbenko’s mental health had stabilised, the court was told. His use of cannabis was “an important trigger to the psychosis.”

Treatment and monitoring would be more limited if he was jailed, the doctor explained.

Simon Hustler said in mitigation that Dowbenko wanted to say sorry to his “old friends.” He didn’t ask for forgiveness and he was still trying to understand what happened that day.

Judge Rose said Dowbenko was clearly mentally unwell when carried out the “horrific” attack after staying the night with Mr Oldfield and Miss Pentelow.

Mr Wells came to their flat and all four young people were socialising together when Dowbenko took a knife from the kitchen and launched the assault.

They were “entirely innocent victims of vicious and unwarranted violence,” Judge Rose said.

Dowbenko punched Mr Oldfield and slashed him across the face. He stabbed Mr Wells and tried several time to stab Miss Pentelow. She was saved by her thick dressing gown, Judge Rose said.

Mr Wells escaped through a skylight and fell from the roof. When the emergency services arrived, paramedics couldn’t get a pulse or a blood pressure reading. The ambulance had to stop at the side of the motorway while a doctor opened his chest to per-form an emergency operation to save his life.

Dowbenko stabbed himself and jumped out the window.

Judge Rose said Dowbenko was not insane but he was mentally ill. His use of cannabis had contributed towards his psychosis.

The court was not only concerned with retribution and punishment but the safety and wellbeing of the public when he was released.

A prison would not be able to provide the high level of treatment to prevent another ep-isode of serious violence in the future.

The hospital would treat him proactively for his acute and transient psychotic disorder, the judge said.

“Treatment rather than punishment” was the safest option.

Judge Rose made a Hospital Order with a restriction and without limitation of time.