Man suffering from paranoid schizophrenia knifed mum and sister in row over cigarettes

A judge at Preston Crown Court heard both women had forgiven Khavar Najmi despite needing hospital treatment for their wounds.

The 36-year-old knifed his mum Musarat in the side of her neck and his sister Zanub in the shoulder and back while he was said to be suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.

And after hearing Najmi had been feeling better now he was getting treatment on remand in the Guild Lodge secure mental health hospital in Preston, Recorder Michelle Brown ordered he should be detained under the Mental Health Act with restrictions to protect both his family and the public. He pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful wounding.

Barrister Niamh Ingham, prosecuting, said Mrs Najmi and her daughter were injured after an argument over cigarettes. But they did not want him to be punished, just helped.

"They want to make it clear they love him dearly and want him to get well soon so he can return to his normal life."

Miss Ingham said Najmi's mother, who was recovering from a heart bypass at the time, arrived at the family home in Pleckfarm Avenue, Blackburn after picking her daughter up from the railway station.

Najmi asked his mother for some cigarettes and then became very abusive towards her. She was stabbed in the side of the neck, causing a "minor" puncture wound which needed stitching at hospital. When she called to her daughter for help, she too was stabbed in the back and the shoulder.

Police were called and a weapon was recovered from Najmi's bedroom, where officers also found knife marks on the wall. His mother said she had been concerned about his mental health for some time.

Sister Zanub said in a victim impact statement that since the incident she had felt anxiety and stress and was finding it difficult to come to terms with what her brother had done.

The attack, it was said, had "brought stigma and shame" to the family who were described as "close-knit and loving."

Mrs Najmi added that the incident had caused her a lot of stress and anxiety. She didn't know why her son had turned so quickly and she was concerned he would hurt her and her family again.

The judge heard Najmi was "on the balance of probabilities" suffering from a psychosis at the time he stabbed the women.

Consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Lucy Shaw from Guild Lodge told the hearing there had been "various incidents reported" in the past including one in 2018 when he stabbed his sister in the hand during an argument. It was also claimed he had punched his mother in the face in the same year.

In mitigation, his defence barrister Stuart Duke said: "Mr Najmi was clearly unwell at the time. But thanks to the remarkable work being done at Guild Lodge in Preston he is feeling much better. But he will need long-term care and medical attention.

"He is grateful to Guild Lodge because he is medically much better (than at the time of the attack). He realises there is a long road to go down before he becomes well.

"He expresses regret for the injuries to his mother and sister. He is fortunate that he has a loving family."

Recorder Brown said: "It is very fortunate that the injuries were not more serious. This was an extremely frightening event for both of them and they have suffered significantly.

"They want to point out they don't want him punished, but helped. They had been worried about him for some time."

And she told Najmi: "I conclude that you are suffering from a mental health illness. It is appropriate for you to be detained in hospital for medical treatment."

She added it was necessary for her to impose additional restrictions on him "to protect the public from serious harm."