Homeless man who killed pensioner in Remembrance Day knife rampage was 'very unwell'

Homeless man who killed pensioner in Remembrance Day knife rampage was 'very unwell' Musse Ali, 68, stabbed pensioner Hilkiah McLeggan to death and attacked two other people during a frenzied attack outside an East London market on Remembrance Sunday A homeless man who killed a 77-year-old pensioner and stabbed two others during a rampage in a market on Remembrance Sunday has been sentenced to an indefinite hospital order. Musse Ali, 67, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Hilkiah McLeggan and to wounding Ho Man Yau and Baheru Nadew Bartura with intent during an attack at East Street market in Walworth, south London, on Sunday, November 10, 2024. A sentencing hearing at the Old Bailey heard that Ali has previously been diagnosed with a schizoaffective disorder, and experiences symptoms associated with both schizophrenia and bipolar. The defendant had not been taking his medication at the time of the attack, and Mr McLeggan’s grieving relatives said his life choices have left their family “devastated”. Ali, who was born in Somalia but moved to the UK in 1990 after seeking asylum, previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility, having an article with a blade, and wounding with intent. He was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Wednesday after admitting manslaughter by diminished responsibility, wounding with intent and having an article with a blade. His Honour Judge Nigel Lickley KC said: “This case concerns the tragic events on the 10th of November 2024 when three members of the public were attacked by the defendant, who had armed himself with a large kitchen knife. “Mr Ali was mentally very unwell at the time with his long standing illness as the main driver in his horrific offending that day, when he stabbed and killed Hilkiah McLeggan and seriously injured Ho Yau and Baheru Bartura . “A life was lost and many lives changed as a consequence.” The judge said that Ali’s offending caused “serious alarm and distress” and that there is “no doubt” that he is a “dangerous” individual. He accepted the evidence of two experts that “the reason Mr Ali behaved in the very violent way he did was because he was very unwell at the time”. Prosecutor Allan Compton KC explained how Ali was caught on CCTV entering the market and going into a shop at around 10.30am, following an 'unremarkable' bus journey. He then proceeded to jump over a counter appeared to steal a knife, the court heard. The shop manager, thinking Ali had tried to steal vapes, pushed him out of the store, only to realise the defendant was holding a blade. Ali then stabbed three people in "quick succession," the court heard. The first victim, Mr Yau, was walking through the market when Ali “ran at him” and “stabbed him a number of times”, the prosecution said. In a witness statement, Mr Yau said the defendant “looked crazy”, adding: “His eyes were wide and scary, looking directly at me. He looked unclean, like he hadn’t had a shave or a shower in a while.” The defendant then stabbed Mr Bartura from behind before fatally stabbing Mr McLeggan, while panicked onlookers shouted "he has a knife," the court heard. Ali then "lunged" at other members of the public before he was disarmed and restrained. Mr McLeggan died at the scene from a stab wound to the back, the court heard. The other two victims were taken to hospital with serious injuries. While at Brixton police station, Ali stated that he “did not intend to murder”. Scotland Yard said at the time the incident was not being treated as a terrorist attack. In a victim impact statement, Mr Bartura said the incident “changed my life”, adding: “In a matter of seconds, the attack shattered my physical health, psychiatric well-being, independence and hopes for the future.” He said that since the assault, he has become dependent on his wife and children, adding: “Without their support I’m effectively housebound because of the overwhelming anxiety, post-traumatic stress and a constant fear of being attacked again. “No sentence imposed by the court can restore my health or return the life that was taken from me on November 10 2024… However, I hope the court can understand the life-long impact this violent attack has had on me.” Delivering a victim impact statement to the court, Mr McLeggan’s daughter Laura said: “Mr Ali’s life choices have left our family devastated.” She said Ali was “sound of mind when he made a decision, a conscious decision, to end his medication”. Ms McLeggan said he made “the choice to abscond from supported living and withdraw from mental health services”. She said that Ali has shown “no remorse”, adding: “The murder of our father was preventable.” Sarah McLeggan, who is also a daughter of the victim, said: “It’s soul-destroying to think that he will never have the mental capacity to take account for what he did and understand the impact on not just our family and friends but those other victims who were hurt on that horrible day.” She described her father as a “dear friend, confidant, go-to guy when things went wrong” who was “everything to everyone”. The responsible clinician for Ali told the court that the defendant has a “serious and treatment-resistant” form of the schizoaffective disorder. He said that in his view, Ali would not have offended and the event would not have taken place if he did not suffer the illness.