Five years jail for man who stabbed three people in Viper after two litres of vodka and seven lines of cocaine

He was described as a ‘danger to the community’


A man has been sentenced to five years in prison after the unprovoked stabbing of three people in Viper rooms. 

On the 29th of September, the 24-year-old Taker Hussain drank three bottles of vodka and had seven lines of coke before committing the “bizarre” attacks in Viper Rooms club on Carver Street, the court heard.

Victims included Curtis Mitchell, a first year medic out for his birthday, and Greg Haynes, the manager of Spicy Chik, who were stabbed in the leg by Hussain.

During his hearing at Sheffield Crown Court, Judge Michael Murphy said: “These were three unprovoked and random knife assaults in a licensed premises where a lot of young people go.

“The probation service have said you are high risk of causing serious harm to the public and I’m one to agree with that.

“I have heard some cases in this court where someone has been stabbed in the leg and they have bled to death.”

Hussain has now been jailed for five years

Described as “evil” and “psychotic” by the manager of Spicy Chik, Hussain allegedly stared at Haynes, “wide eyed”, before then attacking him once his back was turned.

“It was like a horror film where the character’s head turns to its side gradually,” Haynes said.

“He turned, as if to leave, so I did too to carry on talking to my mates. Then it felt like I’d been punched. He’d actually stabbed me in the hip just below the stomach.

“I said to my friends I think I’ve been stabbed and they didn’t believe me so I lifted my shirt and there was this gaping hole.”

Hussain’s prosecution added that he had been behaving “aggressively” on the dance floor to one female victim before stabbing her.

He told the court that she has now been left with a scar on her groin which has seriously damaged her confidence, and affected her studies.

In a statement, she said: “I do not want to go to bars and clubs any more and feel uncomfortable when I’m there. Following the incident, I am scared during the day when I’m on my own.”

Greg Haynes, Spicy Chik manager, after the attack

Hussain was found with two knives on his person, and had drank more than three bottles of seventy centilitre vodka, and snorted seven lines of cocaine.

His defence attorney, Anne Marie Hutton said: “These are set of unusual offences which are both bizarre and troubling.

“This is a young man who is extremely remorseful and wanted me to convey that to the court.

“He has a huge responsibilities to his family and tends to his mother on a hourly basis. His behaviour could be described as burn out.”