A man has admitted wounding a leading Muslim surgeon with a knife outside a mosque, but denied trying to murder him.
Ian Rooke, 29, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to consultant Dr Nasser Kurdy, a father-of-three from a Syrian Jordanian family who has worked as a doctor in the UK since 1977.
The 58-year-old was attacked outside the Altrincham Islamic Centre in Hale, Cheshire around 6pm on September 17.
Father-of-three Dr Nasser Kurdy, 58, was attacked outside the Altrincham Islamic Centre
Rooke entered his guilty pleas as he appeared at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester (pictured) by videolink from HMP Manchester
Rooke pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and to having an offensive weapon, a knife, in public.
He entered his guilty pleas as he appeared at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester by videolink from HMP Manchester.
He pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempting to murder Mr Kurdy.
Rooke will go before a jury to face the attempted murder charge in a trial scheduled to begin on March 12.
Dr Kurdy comes from a Syrian Jordanian family and has worked as a doctor in the UK since 1977
Earlier this year, Mr Kurdy treated casualties in the Manchester Arena bombing (pictured)
The 58-year-old was attacked outside the Altrincham Islamic Centre in Hale, Cheshire around 6pm on September 17
Judge John Potter remanded Rooke into custody until the trial begins.
Mr Kurdy has worked as a doctor for four decades, after coming to Britain to study medicine in 1977 and working in Perth, Dundee and Northampton before settling in Manchester in 1991.
Earlier this year he treated casualties in the Manchester Arena bombing.
Mr Kurdy was going to the Islamic Centre in Grove Lane for mid-afternoon prayers and a committee meeting, as he is a lay imam, sometimes giving sermons, and vice chairman of Altrincham and Hale Muslim Association.
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