Man sectioned after stab death

Thursday, 05 March 2009

DETAINED: Rafi Ullah has been detained under the Mental Health Act after stabbing a woman 60 times.

By Martyn Dalton

A MAN who stabbed a Dagenham woman more than 60 times has been detained under the Mental Health Act.

Rafi Ullah, 29, of Jesmond Ave, Wembley, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey on Tuesday to the manslaughter of 23 year-old Sehrish Waqar Sheikh.

The incident happened at St George’s College, Balaam Street, Plaistow - a small college comprising an office above a shop.

Miss Sheikh, who worked at the college as a receptionist, was stabbed in the chest and neck by Ullah who was wearing a Phantom of the Opera style mask during the attack on September 22.

She was confirmed dead at the scene.

A second woman aged 21 was also injured and taken to an East London hospital where she was treated for a minor stab wound to the shoulder and discharged.

Ullah, who stabbed himself in the neck after the attack, was disarmed by police and arrested at the scene.

He was taken to the Royal London Hospital and charged with murder on September 25, but a plea of manslaughter was accepted in court.

The investigation was led by DCI Bob Mahoney at the Homicide and Serious Crime Command.

He said: “This has been tragic case. I would particularly like to commend those officers - one a probationer - who were first on the scene and with total disregard to their own safety ran inside and disarmed the suspect of the knife he was holding.”

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