An Afghan migrant accused of murdering a dog walker “may never be fit to stand trial”.
Safi Dawood, 22, is accused of murdering Wayne Broadhurst, a council worker, who was out walking his dog at the time of the attack.
Mr Dawood is also accused of attacking his landlord, Shahzad Farrukh, 45, and a 14-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons.
The Afghan national had been told he had days to leave the annex at Mr Farrukh’s home when he allegedly committed the attack last year.
Emergency services were initially called to Midhurst Gardens in Uxbridge, west London, on October 27 last year, to reports of a triple stabbing.
The 22-year-old was consequently charged with one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder.
Mr Dawood appeared via video link from Broadmoor, a high-security psychiatric hospital in Berkshire, for the 15-minute hearing at Southwark Crown Court on Friday morning.
Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC told the court that Dawood had been assessed by a psychiatrist who concluded he “is not fit to plead or stand trial” in his current state, the Daily Mail revealed.
Wayne Broadhurst, a council worker, was out walking his dog at the time of the attack
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PAShe said: “The psychiatrist has not in his served report indicated any time frame as to how long the defendant may remain unfit for, if he’s likely to recover, and matters of that nature.
“So it is not known whether the defendant will at some stage become fit for trial.”
The Afghan spoke to confirm his name with the aid of a translator, while a family member watched via video link.
He was not asked to enter any plea deals.
The case was adjourned until the next hearing on April 10.
It was previously heard in court that Mr Broadhurst was stabbed approximately 14 times.
Mr Farrukh, a business consultant, also suffered severe injuries in the attack, which are reported to be life-changing.
However, no update was given on his condition in today’s hearing.
Mr Dawood is also charged with attempting to murder a teenage boy who has since been discharged from hospital.
A provisional trial date has been set for July – and could last up to three weeks.
The Home Office confirmed that the 22-year-old Afghan arrived in the UK in the back of a lorry in 2020.
He was granted asylum and leave to remain two years later.
Emergency services tended to Mr Broadhurst, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Mr Broadhurst and Mr Dawood were not known to one another, the Metropolitan Police said shortly after the attack.
Police also released a statement from Mr Broadhurst’s next-of-kin shortly after his death, which outlined how he “was a devoted and hardworking man who spent his life serving his community as a waste services worker”.
“He worked hard his whole life, never shying away from improving his community,” they said.
“His love for animals showed the gentle heart behind his strong work ethic, and his passion for Liverpool FC was something he loved to share with others.”
Mr Broadhurst worked for Greener Ealing, which provides sustainable waste disposal and grounds maintenance services to Ealing Council.