Shocking court footage shows 'seriously mentally ill' man brandishing meat cleaver and setting Hull bank on fire

A “seriously mentally ill” man who brought fear to Hull city centre after setting fire to a bank and brandishing a meat cleaver is likely to be detained in hospital for a “very long time”, a judge said.
By Alex Wood
Published 20th Sep 2019, 19:40 BST
Shocking footage shows the man brandishing a meat cleaver before dousing the bank in petrol and setting it alight (Video made available by the CPS)Shocking footage shows the man brandishing a meat cleaver before dousing the bank in petrol and setting it alight (Video made available by the CPS)
Shocking footage shows the man brandishing a meat cleaver before dousing the bank in petrol and setting it alight (Video made available by the CPS)

Ahmad Mohammed, aged 25, of Innsworth Garth, Bransholme, was remanded to Stockton Hall hospital, near York, after a jury found in his absence that he had committed eight offences, including arson at a branch of Santander and an attempted arson at Barclays.

Dramatic CCTV footage, released by the Crown Prosecution Service, showed terrified customers and staff as Mohammed splashed petrol around, waved the meat cleaver, and set fire to the floor at Santander.

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He was later stopped in Paragon Station by officers who disabled him using rubber bullets and Tasers.

Shocking footage shows the man brandishing a meat cleaver before dousing the bank in petrol and setting it alight (Video made available by the CPS)Shocking footage shows the man brandishing a meat cleaver before dousing the bank in petrol and setting it alight (Video made available by the CPS)
Shocking footage shows the man brandishing a meat cleaver before dousing the bank in petrol and setting it alight (Video made available by the CPS)

Two more kitchen knives he left in a bag at Barclays were shown to Hull Crown Court yesterday.

Evidence will be presented on October 14 about Mohammed’s current mental state before Judge Paul Watson decides whether to make him subject of a hospital order.

The judge said Mohammed had been “very mentally ill” on September 11 last year, adding: “He is likely to be detained to a secure hospital for a very long time to come.”

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