Ahmed Ali Adil allegedly plunged a knife into the heart of Terence Carney last October, killing him just minutes after stabbing his flatmate, Javed Nouri, nearly to death while he slept.
According to the Northern Echo, the incidents took place in October of last year on Wharton Terrace. Mohammed Karimi, who shared the flat with Adil and Nouri, said there was "blood everywhere" after the former allegedly stabbed the latter while shouting "Allahu Akbar." Nouri, he explained, had recently converted to Christianity, a decision which caused tension between the two.
By the time Nouri realized what had happened, Adil was already out the door, walking down the street. Upon passing Carney, who was out for his regular morning walk, Adil circled back and confronted him before launching into his attack.
Along with stabbing Carney in the heart, Adil inflicted six wounds to the elderly man's body, causing damage to his lungs, and liver. Some of the cuts were up to 8 cm deep.
The killing was captured on CCTV footage, in which Carney can be heard begging Adil to stop stabbing him. Adil, on the other hand, shouted in Arabic and praised Allah.
Adil was eventually tracked down by police and taken into custody. Throughout his trial, which is still ongoing, he has maintained his innocence. According to Judge Cheema-Grubb, the jury is being asked to consider his mental state at the time of the attacks.
As the Northern Echo reports, police were made aware of Adil long before the killing by residents who were concerned about his behavior and tendency to carry a knife in the communal property of his housing complex.
