Deadly stabbing in UK: Indian-origin man given indefinite hospital order

London: An Indian-origin man, who was found guilty of manslaughter for fatally stabbing a 69-year-old builder after a row in west London, has been sentenced to an indefinite hospital order by a UK court.

Gurjeet Singh Lall, 36, attacked Allan Isichei after the pair became involved in an argument over Lall's spitting on a street in Southall. An Inner London Crown Court jury had found him guilty of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility in October.

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On Monday, he was sentenced at the same court to an indefinite hospital order under Section 37 of the UK's Mental Health Act 1983.

Lall, who will now remain detained in a mental health facility, did not appear for the sentencing hearing.

"There was no good reason for Lall to have had a knife in his possession that day, and no good reason for him to use it. I am glad that he was convicted after the jury rejected his claim that he was acting in self-defense and that he has now been detained indefinitely," said Detective Inspector Jamie Stevenson of the Metropolitan Police's Specialist Crime unit.

The incident took place last year just as Isichei was on his walk back home after a drink at his local pub in the area. Moments later he encountered Lall on his way at St. Mary's Avenue South in Southall, where he was leaning against a wall.

The pair fell into a brief verbal disagreement over Lall's spitting in the street. The court heard that words were exchanged and as Isichei walked away, Lall spat on the ground again leading to a further argument. It was then that Lall produced a knife and used it to stab Isichei several times in an ensuing struggle.

Isichei, who managed to disarm Lall and apparently not realising how badly he was injured, got up and walked down the street before staggering to a neighbour's address to ring the doorbell and seek help. Police and paramedics were called immediately and Isichei was taken into an ambulance, but his condition deteriorated on the way and he died.

The victim was described as a larger-than-life character who was well-loved by his family, including several grandchildren, and was well-known and respected in his local community having lived in Southall for many years.

A post-mortem examination found that he had suffered multiple knife injuries, with cause of death given as an incised wound to the abdomen.

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