A 29-YEAR-OLD man is facing a mandatory life jail term after being found guilty of knifing two friends from Brierfield in one night.

Imran Sardar, was convicted of wounding Mohammed Khan with intent to do him grievous bodily harm and unlawfully wounding Zahir Aslam, after a three day trial at Burnley Crown Court.

Sardar, of Apsley Street, Keighley, was remanded in custody for psychiatric reports and to face sentence on the week starting April 28. He had denied the charges against him.

The defendant, who has previous convictions for rape, assault causing actual bodily harm and indecent assault, will be given a mandatory life sentence unless there are exceptional circumstances.

The jury had been told how the victims were attacked outside Churchills nightclub in Burnley in the early hours of June 23 2001.

Sardar was later overheard by an emergency services phone operator boasting about what he had done.

Mr Khan suffered a two and a half centimetre wound to his neck which went so deep it caused damage to nerves and loss of sensation.

Mr Aslam received a wound to his hand and a nerve was severed in his ring finger. Both men needed hospital treatment.

The complainants had been in the nightclub with two women friends when they sensed hostility from the defendant's group.

The jury had been told how trouble erupted outside the club after Sardar made a nasty comment to Mr Aslam and a fight started.

A woman in the group phoned 999 on her mobile phone, did not speak but the line stayed open. The operator overheard the defendant in a "triumphant tone" boasting about what he had done.

After he was arrested, Sardar first told police the weapon, a collector's edition knife made by the Harley Davidson motorcycle firm, was his but he had not used it or seen it used.

Later he changed his story, saying he had probably caused the men's wounds, but had been acting in self defence.