Mentally disturbed axe killer of flatmate detained

Ahmed Ali struck 45-year-old Abdullah Jama 15 times at the flat they shared in Blackheath, south-east London, in May last year. After being arrested Ali, 36, told a doctor he was hearing voices that made him "panicky", the Old Bailey heard.

He had a history of mental illness and had been discharged from the Michael Castle Centre in Sheffield on March 31 and said he was going to London to see his family.

But by April 29 he was unwell again, and was admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Greenwich in a "distressed state".

Anthony Orchard, prosecuting, said: "Staff there tried to transfer him to Sheffield. However, at 7pm that evening, following a telephone conversation, Mr Ali left the hospital.

"It was believed that he was leaving the hospital to catch a bus to go to a cousin's address."

Mr Jama was found dead on May 4. Mr Orchard said: "Mr Jama had suffered multiple injuries to his neck in what appeared to be a frenzied attack. The injuries had been caused by a sharp-edged weapon, almost certainly a small axe."

A note was found in Ali's handwriting, containing references to "doctors and nurses" and hospital, as well as the repeated phrases "I am inisent"(sic) and "I am not safe". He was arrested shortly afterwards walking "calmly" towards the flat.

After his arrest he told the doctor he was hearing voices which were going to harm him, making him feel panicky.

The court heard that Ali has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and was not fit to be tried on the charge of murder.

A jury found he carried out the act of killing Mr Jama and he was locked up indefinitely in hospital under mental health legislation.

The defendant attended his trial in London via a video link to Sheffield Crown Court, near the unit where he is now being treated.