Man killed uncle after religious daytime TV led him to believe he was Jesus

A man killed his uncle after religious TV shows led him to believe he was Jesus.

Ahmed Hussein, 28, attacked 79-year-old Ibrahim Abdi Haji under the delusion he had returned to earth to rid the world of evil.

He was heard shouting ‘I am God, you are the Devil’ before launching the brutal attack at his home in West Drayton, west London.

Hussein’s mental health had been deteriorating since 2011 when his mother took him to see his GP out of concern at his behaviour.

He was not diagnosed and no further action was taken after Hussein refused to talk about his problems.

Prosecutor Sarah Plaschkes QC said: "In the weeks leading up to the killing his behaviour deteriorated.

"He would shout and rant 'I’m God, I want to clean up all people.'"

On 8 May this year Hussein’s mother heard him talking to himself in his bedroom saying he was an angel and wanted the Devil dead.

Later that evening she rang Mr Haji while babysitting her grandchildren and overheard her son shouting: "I am God, you are the Devil."

At 11.15pm she returned home to Jasmine Terrace to find her son in Mr Haji’s room with blood on his clothes.

The body of Mr Haji was found lying under a mattress and he was pronounced dead at 1am.

A post-mortem found he had choked on his own blood after suffering blunt force injuries to his head, face and back.

When police arrested Hussein at the scene he told them his name was Jesus before adding: "I am God. I speak the language of Archangels. I’m Jesus the Messiah, please don’t kill me."

Hussein added: "I want my mum."

Three psychiatrists agreed he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia at the time of the killing.

Dr Philip Joseph said in his conclusion: "He was becoming increasingly mentally ill and his behaviour was affected by religious programmes on daytime TV which led him to believe he was Jesus returning to earth and rid the world of evil.

"His judgement was rationally impaired due to his delusion that he was Jesus and the victim was the devil."

Hussein pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility at the Old Bailey.

Judge John Bevan QC sentenced him to indefinite detention under sections 37 and 41 of the Mental Health Act.

The judge said: "Mr Haji was quite clearly a kind, quiet, harmless man who avoided confrontation with you when you were ill and whose life was ended brutally in a situation of extreme violence and for no rational reason in his own bedroom.

"You are clearly dangerous and those caring for you should be conscious of that in considering your long term future."

photo:thinkprogress.org