Dagenham man locked up after killing mum and injuring sister

A mentally ill man has been locked up indefinitely for killing his mum who he believed was practicing black magic against him.

Nicholas Aina, 28, killed his 64-year-old mum Caroline Adeyelu and injured his 23-year-old sister Angel Adeyelu then handed himself in to police on October 30 last year.

He was suffering from severe psychosis with delusions about witchcraft, electric voltage and being the “king of Africa”, a court was told.

Aina, of Auriel Avenue, Dagenham, admitted the manslaughter of his mother by diminished responsibility and unlawfully wounding his sister.

On Thursday (August 31), he was handed a hospital order without limit of time by Judge David Aubrey KC at the Old Bailey.

The judge told him: “You have a psychotic illness, namely paranoid schizophrenia, which is a severe and enduring illness.

“You will remain a risk of further psychiatric episodes in the future and it is of relevance that you had two previous admissions when you had been detained under the Mental Health Act.

“You have caused untold and devastating harm to your family but in my judgment the need for punishment is reduced because your culpability was adversely affected by your mental illness.”

Opening the facts earlier, Deanna Heer KC said Aina has a history of psychotic illness for which he had twice been admitted to hospital before being discharged into the community in October 2021.

He has been violent to family members in the past, hitting another sister over the head with a lamp and threatening his mother with a knife.

In the week before the killing, Angel Adeyelu noticed her brother’s mental health was deteriorating and their mother spoke to a nurse, the court was told.

Last October 28, Aina disappeared, travelling to Paris and returning home two days later.

At about 9pm on October 30, Angel Adeyelu was getting ready to go out when Aina entered her room with a knife, smiling and “looking possessed”, the court heard.

He told her: “I’m going to kill you. I’m going to kill you. You’re a witch,” before stabbing her seven times in the chest, arm, wrist and thigh.

Hearing her screams, Caroline Adeyelu rushed in and tried to get Aina off her daughter but he overpowered her and lunged at her with the knife.

He went on to stab his mother in the chest and arm before leaving the house and throwing the knife in a bin, the court was told.

Angel Adeyelu called 999 and police arrived just after 9.30pm to find the house in darkness and blood on the door handle.

The young woman was taken to Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel for treatment and Caroline Adeyelu died at the scene.

At 9.41pm, Aina walked into Dagenham police station and said: “I am here to hand myself in for a stabbing at Auriel Avenue.”

In a police interview, he admitted attacking his mother and sister because his family were “out to get him”, Ms Heer said.

The prosecutor told the court: “He said he suffered from paranoid schizophrenia but had stopped taking his medication 16 days ago because he wanted to lose weight.”

Following his remand to Pentonville prison, Aina was assessed by medical professionals who found him to be delusional.

Sentencing, Judge Aubrey told Aina he will need treatment for many years to come, adding: “There is a possibility you will never be released.”

Reporting by PA.