Man appears in court accused of knife attack at Burnley M&S branch
A manager and customer were stabbed in December
Last updated 11th Jun 2021
A man accused of trying to kill two women in an alleged knife attack at a Marks & Spencer store has appeared in court following a counter-terror investigation.
Munawar Hussain, 57, is charged with two counts of attempted murder after the manager of the Burnley branch, who is in her 40s, and a customer in her 60s were stabbed on December 2 last year.
The manager was stabbed in the neck, while the customer suffered two wounds to the arm during the alleged attack in the St James Street shop.
Hussain, from Burnley, was arrested and held under the Mental Health Act and was charged following a counter-terrorism investigation.
He appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday by video-link from a secure hospital, wearing a white headscarf, as part of the court's list of terrorism cases.
Mr Justice Sweeney set a trial date of November 29 at Leeds Crown Court in front of the Recorder of Leeds, Judge Guy Kearl QC, for a case which is expected to last between two and three weeks.
Hussain is next expected to appear before the same court on September 17 for a pre-trial and preparatory hearing.