Birmingham stabbings: Zephaniah McLeod 'will require lifelong treatment', psychiatrist tells court

A psychiatrist has told a sentencing hearing that a man who went on a violent stabbing spree in Birmingham last year will require lifelong treatment. 

Dr Jeremy Kenney-Herbert was giving evidence to a judge who will later sentence Zephaniah McLeod for the series of attacks, which left one university worker dead and seven other people injured on September 6, 2020. 

Prosecutor Karim Khalil QC was taking Dr Kenney-Herbert through reports he had complied detailing the history of McLeod’s paranoid schizophrenia and the treatment for it. 

Dr Kenney-Herbert described a "pattern" of refusal to take anti-psychotic medication and missed appointments with mental health professionals during a life marked by frequent periods of incarceration. 

He said: "One thing he was consistent about is not liking side effects of medication and feeling stigmatised by having to take anti psychotic medication in prison."

The psychiatrist explained how McLeod said he had no recollection of any events from July, August or September 2020 and recommended detention under mental health legislation. 

He said: "It is my opinion that this very very tragic incident was highly attributable to his psychotic state at that time.

"To protect others everything must be done to keep that psychiatric illness treated, under control and monitored."

McLeod previously pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Jacob Bllington, four counts of attempted murder and three of wounding.

The sentence is due to be handed down later today.