A HORRIFIED woman who witnessed a Sudanese asylum seeker attempt to behead a man on a street in Belfast told the Irish Sun: “I could see the evil in his eyes.”

Terrified Karen Mulholland, 36, was one of the first people on the scene of the sickening attack in the Kinnaird Avenue area of north Belfast on Monday night

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And the shock incident has led to chaotic scenes in Belfast city with protesters taking to the streets and torching three houses and multiple vehicles, including a bus.

Recalling the shocking scenes, Karen told us how people screamed in horror as the crazed attacker “grinned” while he stabbed his victim in the eyes with a kitchen knife and then tried to behead him.

The attacker – who has since been charged with a number of offences including attempted murder – repeatedly knifed his victim in the back and when he slumped to the ground he leapt on him and sat across his chest during the ferocious attack.

As the desperate victim, aged in his 40s, struggled to free himself, the attacker held a knife aloft and yelled what sounded like: “Die local.”

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Shocked residents – alerted by screams – rushed to the scene in the residential area close to Antrim Road on Monday as the crazed attacker began sawing at his victim’s neck.

Locals yelled at him to get off the man but he threatened anyone who approached by waving his knife at them – as one shocked woman said: “He’s trying to cut his head off.”

Wearing a light-coloured, long-sleeved top and dark trousers, the attacker continued to cut at the man’s neck until another local used a hurley stick to hit him over the head in a bid to stop the assault.

Others joined in and hauled him off with the attacker trying to bite them as they detained him until cops arrived.

Karen Mulholland, 36, and her partner were among the first on the scene when they were arriving home as the attack unfolded.

Speaking to the Irish Sun, Karen said the attacker appeared so calm that it “looked like me cutting up a chicken breast”.

Karen, who called 999, added: “My partner stopped, opened the door, and the black guy turned and pointed the knife at him, and looked him right in the eye, as if ‘You dare. You dare come near me.’

“‘I saw evil in that guy’s eyes. He was licking his lips with the blood. He was enjoying it.

“I thought the attacker was going to kill him.

“He was smiling when he was committing the attack and was also trying to bite people who were trying to help the man.

“My partner was considering knocking him down with the car but he didn’t want to injure the other people who were helping the poor man.

“The police had to put a mask on the attacker because he was just going mad.

“Everyone is just so shocked that something like this can happen.”

Another neighbour ran into the street in his pyjamas to help but was so traumatised by what he saw he is likely to need medical help, according to his partner,

She said: “He couldn’t even sleep last night. He just needed to be out of the house today, but I definitely think he’s going to need medication to help settle him.”

Another woman said local kids had been playing football on a grass patch next to where the attacker happened just ten minutes before.

The shocked resident said: “They could have witnessed it all.

“If it had been earlier, would he have attacked kids?”

The victim was today being treated in hospital for multiple stab wounds including serious injuries to his eyes as a sickening video of the brutal assault went viral.

Meanwhile, a have-a-go hero is being hailed after he armed himself with a hurley and stepped in to stop the shock attack.

Young dad Maitiu Mág Tighearnán, known as Matt, put himself in harm’s way with two other members of the public in a desperate bid to save the victim.

Matt had just arrived home after a night out when he discovered the terrifying scene unfolding outside his home.

Dramatic footage showed Matt swinging the hurley several times at the suspect.

The attacker was not on any national security databases and was not known to the PSNI before the assault.

Detectives investigating the shock incident have charged a 30-year-old man with attempted murder, possession of an article with blade or point in a public place and threats to kill.

He is due to appear at Belfast Magistrates’ Court tomorrow.

The attack happened at 10.30pm on Monday in Kinnaird Avenue in an area of north Belfast where parents are normally happy to let their children play in the streets on summer nights.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) declared a critical incident as the scene was cordoned off.

Forensic officers conducted a fingertip search and markers could be seen on the ground to indicate possible evidence.

The leaders of the five largest parties of the Northern Ireland Assembly, including First Minister and Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill, issued a joint statement in response to the attack.

They said they were “united in our condemnation of the horrific incident in North Belfast last night.

“There is no place in our society for this kind of brutality.

“We recognise the distress and fear this incident will cause within the local community.”

The attacker was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder but PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said: “At this stage, we have no information to suggest that this was a terrorist-related incident.”

He added: “I share the public revulsion over the brutal nature of this attack, which has created concern not only here in Northern Ireland, but much further afield, and I understand also that there will be questions regarding the nature of the attack.

“We’re also aware of calls this evening for protest activity across Northern Ireland, and continue to monitor that situation accordingly.

“I understand that last night’s attempted murder will leave people feeling a range of emotions from fear to anger.

“Our officers have a role to facilitate and accommodate peaceful protest.”

He stressed there should be no repeat of disorder previously seen in the city over asylum seekers, adding: “I Have some concerns around having seen violence in our streets over the past two years.

“People have a right to have their voice heard and they have a right to do that peacefully. If that’s done in a violent way, all that does is that it damages communities and drags young people into it.

“So I would plead for calm heads in relation to that.”

However, despite these pleas chaos has erupted tonight in the city with furious demonstrators torching three houses and multiple vehicles, including cars and a bus.

Yobs in balaclavas have been torching cars parked on residential streets and driveways which appears to have caused three houses to catch fire.

On Lendrick Street in east Belfast, fire engines have rushed to the scene and residents are being removed from the area by Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service officers as they tackle the flames.

Earlier, a Glider bus on the Newtownards Road in east Belfast was set alight, forcing Translink, which operates the Metro and Glider buses, to suspend its services until further notice.

Many of the protesters are dressed in dark tracksuits with their hoods up and masks on as some were seen throwing red and orange coloured smoke flares.

Posting a photo of the burnt-out vehicle, Peter McReynolds, an Alliance Party Member of the Legislative Assembly, said: “This serves no one, changes nothing and damages our community.”

Kids, some as young as ten, hurled glass bottles at police as fires burned late into the night.

The PSNI have issued a Police Dispersal Order and protesters have been warned that force may be used.

Following the protests and possible violence, Deliveroo has paused food deliveries in some areas of Belfast.

First Minister of Northern Ireland, Michelle O’Neill, took to X to condemn the disorder as “thuggery”.