Knife rampage schizophrenic told detectives:I lust for blood

Olwen Dudgeon

A SCHIZOPHRENIC who went on the rampage and stabbed seven people while high on drink and drugs is to be detained indefinitely at a high security hospital.

Raheem Nawaz told detectives after his frenzied attack in Keighley town centre last August: “I just wanted to kill someone, I hope they are dead. I love blood, I drink blood.”

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Bradford Crown Court heard the mentally ill teenager embarked on his night of violence after downing half a litre of vodka, drinking in a pub, smoking cannabis and taking amphetamines.

He stabbed one man in the street before launching a vicious attack later that evening on three women waiting for a taxi after a night out and two other people outside a pub.

His final victim, Majid Hussain, courageously tackled the 19-year-old after witnessing the violence.

The court was told Nawaz, whose sister and mother have been diagnosed with the same condition, remains seriously disturbed. When his condition deteriorates he hears voices and believes people are laughing at him, a condition exacerbated by drink or drugs.

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Although he had no serious convictions for violence on his record, at the time he was under a two-year community order for racially aggravated threatening behaviour.

He had also previously been treated at Lynfield Mount Hospital in Bradford which is carrying out an internal investigation into his history there.

Nawaz, now 20, of Wilmer Drive, Bradford, admitted seven charges of attempted murder on August 20 last year.

Ordering him to be detained indefinitely at Rampton Hospital under the Mental Health Act, the Recorder of Bradford, Judge James Stewart QC, said that while Nawaz was ill at the time he knew he should not be drinking.

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“On 20th August last year you went on the rampage, wildly stabbing seven people quite indiscriminately.

“You had no issue with any of them, you just decided to stab them a with a horrendous looking knife which you had just bought for that purpose. Two of your victims nearly died.

“The public will be relieved you may never be free again to behave like this.”

After the case Det Supt Steve Payne said police could have been faced with a “multiple homicide” that night. He joined the judge in praising members of the public who helped prevent that situation.

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Richard Wright, prosecuting, said Nawaz’s first victim was Mohammed Nazam, who had just been to a local mosque with his uncle.

They were sitting on a wall in Victoria Road around 9.45pm when Nawaz approached. They could tell he had been drinking before he shook Mr Nazam’s hand and would not let go.

When the uncle intervened Nawaz did move away, but returned holding a knife and stabbed Mr Nazam in the chest. When the victim ran off Nawaz pursued him until Mr Nazam got into his car, where he collapsed unconscious.

Police and an ambulance were called and Nawaz’s description was circulated. He had gone into a pub in North Street, Keighley, drinking neat Jack Daniels whisky.

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He had seen Mohammed Imran in that pub the previous night and told him he had mental health problems and had been advised not to drink, but ignored it.

Mr Imran estimated Nawaz had four to five measures of Jack Daniels before they left and went to the Livery Rooms where he had three to four more large drinks of spirits.

While there a customer, James French, bumped into Nawaz at

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