Drug-crazed thug, 24, who stabbed two elderly women launched his first attack just 82 minutes after magistrates bailed him in knife case

Jayden Hayes , 24, carried out the random knife attacks in November and has admitted two charges of attempted murder

A drug-crazed thug who stabbed two elderly women launched his first attack just 82 minutes after magistrates bailed him in a knife case.

Jayden Hayes, 24, carried out the random knife attacks in November after he developed an obsession with blades through watching videos on YouTube, searching terms such as 'stabbings in the UK' and 'man stabbed 18 times in 25 seconds on train'. 

Just days afterwards he attacked a 61-year-old woman returning home from a fish and chips shop. Three weeks later he slit the throat of another victim, 71, as she walked down an alleyway. Both women survived but have been scarred for life. 

Police who caught up with Hayes after a major manhunt discovered he had been in custody for waving a knife at a policeman but was then freed on bail by a magistrates court 82 minutes before the first stabbing took place.

Today at Manchester Crown Court, Hayes, from Sholver near Oldham, Greater Manchester, faced jail after he admitted two charges of attempted murder.

The father-of-one had been treated for mental health issues triggered by him smoking up to eight cannabis spliffs a day.

After splitting up with the mother of his child, Hayes' drug use became worse and he started carrying knives. 

The first stabbing occurred on November 1 last year after Hayes had appeared before JPs in Manchester accused of using a blade to threaten a police officer, having earlier spent the evening watching YouTube videos about real life knife murders and near fatal attacks.

Prosecutors had asked for him to remanded him in custody citing other matters including criminal damage and assault against friends and family but JPs freed him on bail at 5pm when he gave a false address claiming it was a 'stable home' and wrongly said he had schizophrenia.

At 6.22pm Hayes was riding his mother's Calle Valour mountain bike in Oldham when he spotted care worker Joy Clarke walking home with a fish and chip supper and a four pack of her beer for her husband Nigel.

Robert Hall, prosecuting, said: 'By complete bad fortune, Ms Clarke's walk home resulted in her being seen by Hayes as he looked for a victim. He rode past her and selected her and was seen to stop his bicycle and cycle back towards her. 

'He looked both ways to see if there were any witnesses, then dismounted and ran after Joy Clarke.

'She was in complete ignorance of what was going on behind her as she turned down a small ginnel . Without warning, Hayes, from behind, hit her to the right side of her head above her ear with such force that the blow knocked off her glasses and knocked out her dentures.

CCTV of Hayes on his mother's mountain bike while looking for victims. After splitting up with the mother of his child, Hayes' drug use became worse and he started carrying knives

'He then put all his weight onto her back and she fell forwards onto a blue wheelie bin which stopped her from falling to the ground. 

'She tried to get her hands up to defend herself but he was holding them down with one arm, probably his left, whilst repeatedly hitting her to the face and chest with the other arm. She did not realise it but he was using a knife in his right hand to stab her.

'She tried to get him off her back and swung round so that she could see his face. As she swung round and forced her head up, the male seemed to release his grip on her arms. As she got her hands up, she felt pain in her neck and touched it and saw all the blood.

'She screamed out, "let go of me" and he slowly walked away, throwing the knife onto waste ground as he left. He never said anything throughout attack and no demands for property were made. As she went to her gate, he watched her as if, 'he did not have a care in the world' then cycled away.'

Ms Clarke spent three days in hospital for slash wounds to her cheek, lip and around her ear plus injuries to her chest and face and forearms. 

But as police hunted her attacker, Hayes struck again at 5.55pm on November 19, targeting 71-year old Desma Shirley as she walked along an alleyway to her local shop in the Derker area of Oldham. 

The scene of the attack on a 61-year-old woman in Oldham. Police discovered Hayes had been freed on bail by a magistrates court 82 minutes before the first stabbing took place

Mr Hall added: 'As she walked down the ginnel , she saw a male walking towards her dressed in dark clothing with his hood up over his face and his hands in his pockets. They passed one another without incident but Hayes reached the end of the ginnel , looked both ways to check there were no witnesses and then turned back.

'Ms Shirley heard running footsteps behind her and glanced over her shoulder expecting to see someone run past. However, Hayes, without warning, grabbed her from behind using his left arm and hand across the front of her chest. She could not do anything to stop him as the attack was that quick.

'Using his right hand, he then drew a knife blade across the front of her neck. The blade cut the left side of her neck to about the centre line but, by good fortune, her coat and scarf blocked him getting access with the blade to the right side of her neck and it cut into the right side of the collar of her coat. She screamed and Hayes ran off.

'He did not say anything during the attack and there was no attempt by him to steal anything from her - his intention was simply to slit her throat. She ran after him to try to apprehend him or get a better look at him but she quickly lost sight of him.'

Ms Shirley fled to her daughter's home nearby and was treated for a 5cm wound to the left side of her neck. Police fearing the knifeman would strike again and this time kill detained Hayes after officers issued CCTV of the suspect riding his bike on the night of Ms Clark's stabbing and he was recognised by friends.

He was initially detained under the Mental health Act but was discharged after psychiatrists concluded he was fit and well when not smoking cannabis. He claimed to have little recollection of either attack.

In a statement Ms Clarke told the hearing she had to change her hair colour for fear of Hayes attacking her again and she is now too afraid to go out on her own at night.

She added: 'I have daily a reminder of the attack due to my scars and I regularly have nightmares. I don't know why he has done this but I hope gets the help he needs to change his ways.'

The sentencing hearing continues.