An Afghan asylum seeker pleaded guilty to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility after fatally stabbing a man in west London last year, a court heard. Dawood Safi, 28, admitted killing Wayne Broadhurst, 49, by stabbing him 14 times in Midhurst Gardens, Uxbridge, on October 27, 2022.

Safi, who arrived in the UK in 2020 after crossing the Channel in a lorry and had been granted leave to remain until 2027, was living as a lodger in the home of Shahzad Farrukh, 45. He faces additional charges of attempted murder relating to attacks on Farrukh and a 14-year-old boy, which he denies.

During proceedings at Southwark Crown Court, prosecution barrister Jonathan Laidlaw KC explained that two days before the attack Safi sought medical help for erectile dysfunction at his general practitioner’s surgery, expressing paranoid concerns that someone was tampering with his food. He later attended Hillingdon Hospital, reporting that his relatives, including uncles and cousins, were responsible for his symptoms. Medical staff determined he was calm and did not require detention under the Mental Health Act.

The day before the stabbing, Safi appeared distressed at Hayes police station, citing discomfort at home due to the landlord’s connections to his family. Police later found him parked on the hard shoulder of the M40 motorway between Junctions 1 and 2. Safi alleged he had been defrauded by relatives, telling officers, “There’s a case on me. People use me for money.” Court footage captured him making these statements.

Safi called emergency services 15 minutes prior to the attack, the prosecution said. Following the stabbing, he claimed no memory of killing Broadhurst but expressed feelings of guilt. He admitted carrying a knife intended for Farrukh but was unsure how extensively he had used it.

The central issue for the jury, according to Laidlaw, is whether Safi intended to kill the victim, with the prosecution citing the severity of the attack as evidence. Safi did not testify, and his defence barrister, Richard Jory KC, declined to call witnesses or cross-examine prosecution evidence. Jory acknowledged that the facts of the case were not disputed but stressed the need to establish the defendant’s intent to kill.

Safi has already admitted to possessing an offensive weapon and causing grievous bodily harm with intent, as well as causing actual bodily harm related to the assaults on Farrukh and the teenager. The trial remains ongoing.