Bristol teenager facing jail for attempted murder after axe attack

A teenager from Bedminster is facing jail after pleading guilty to attempted murder, as a judge is scheduled to decide whether she had a terrorist motive in carrying out the attack.

Alina Burns was 18 when she left her home in Lynton Road, Bedminster, and went to East Street on Saturday, August 2 last year.

She was armed with an axe and a scalpel, walked up to a Kurdish man from Iran called Mohammed Mahmoodi, who was standing outside BHK Barbers in East Street, and without warning swung the axe at his neck.

Luckily, he ducked and managed to disarm her after she swung a second time, and police arrived to arrest her. He received injuries, but they were not life-threatening.

What was Burns charged with?

Burns was charged with six different offences in initial court hearings at the Old Bailey in London, and more recently at Bristol Crown Court.

Count 1 – That on or before the August 2, 2025, she prepared and intended to carry out acts of terrorism.

That preparation included buying an axe, getting a scalpel and two darts, and conducting research into an appropriate target and possible methods of attack.

Count 2 – Attempted murder of Mr Mahmoodi

Count 3 – Attempted GBH of Mr Mahmoodi

Count 4 – Possession of an axe

Count 5 – Possession of a scalpel

Count 6 – Possession of two darts.

At an earlier hearing in Bristol, Burns pleaded guilty to counts 2, 4, 5 and 6, but pleaded ‘not guilty’ to count 1, which means Burns has now been convicted of attempted murder in relation to the attack.

After a hearing last week at Bristol Crown Court, the Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed that they offered no evidence for counts one and three, and formal ‘not guilty’ verdicts were recorded.

The court heard legal arguments between the prosecution and defence as to whether or not there was a terrorism element to the attempted murder – something which could impact the sentence the judge hands down at the next hearing on May 15.

The judge reserved judgement on that point, and a ruling is expected in the next few days.

Bristol Post