Attacker who set fire to elderly worshippers in Birmingham and London sentenced to hospital order
A man who set fire to two elderly worshippers as they walked home from mosques in Birmingham and London, has been sentenced to an indefinite hospital order.
Mohammed Abbkr, 29, from Edgbaston in Birmingham, tried to murder his two victims using lit petrol as they walked home from mosques in Ealing, West London, on 27 February 2023, and in Birmingham on 20 March 2023.
Abbkr used a lighter and petrol contained in a water bottle to set fire to Hashi Odowa, 82, and Mohammed Rayaz, 70.
CCTV footage of both incidents was shown to a jury at Birmingham Crown Court and included audio which captured Mr Rayaz’s shouts of pain as he was set alight on Shenstone Road in Edgbaston.
Mr Odowa suffered minor burn injuries to his ear and hand after being set on fire as he made his way to a neighbour’s car outside West Ealing Islamic Centre in West London.
Mr Rayaz, from Dudley, suffered serious burn injuries, particularly to his head, and was treated in hospital for a number of weeks where he received a number of skin grafts.
Abbkr was convicted of two counts of attempted murder last year at Birmingham Crown Court.
He has been sentenced to a hospital order under Section 27 of the Mental Health Act alongside a restriction under section 41 under counts 1 and 3.
Sentencing Abbkr, who has paranoid schizophrenia and believed people possessed by evil spirits were controlling him, Judge Melbourne Inman KC said: "I am satisfied you committed both of these offences while suffering with a severe mental illness. It is clear from the evidence that neither you nor anyone else had any insight into the illness you were developing.
"You were not therefore being treated, you did not accelerate your illness through alcohol or drugs.
"It is clear beyond doubt that you suffer from a serious mental illness and that it is appropriate for you to be detained in hospital."
He continued: "As I have detailed the opinions of all the trained psychiatrists is that these offences are attributable to your illness. There is no other evidence for reason or motivation to commit these offences.
"I am therefore wholly satisfied that your culpability is reduced due to your mental illness.
"It is clear beyond doubt that you represent a very great danger to members of the public.
"On the basis of the evidence before me it is highly likely you will require life-long treatment for this illness.
"If you were transferred to prison there would be a significant risk of you relapsing, and being a danger to others including staff.
"It is clear that it will be a very long time before you could ever be released into the community, should that day ever arise.
"You will be made subject to a hospital order under Section 27 of the Mental Health Act alongside a restriction under section 41 under counts 1 and 3.
"The victim impact surcharges will apply."
Abbkr is currently being treated at Ashworth high security hospital in Merseyside.
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