Man who heard voices locked up indefinitely for killing a stranger

A MAN who killed a stranger in a Birmingham park has been given an indefinite hospital order.

Ranjit Singh, aged 41, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Umesh Parekh in the horrific knife attack.

Singh told police that at the time of the killing in Waverhill Park, Handsworth, he was hearing voices telling him to kill and sometimes thought he was in a Bollywood movie.

Umesh, aged 34, was killed on June 19, 2016 when he was stabbed by Singh in the chest with a knife during an argument about an invitation to visit a temple.

Singh later admitted he was in a state of mind where he would attack anyone who posed a threat to him. Police arrested Singh for the murder after he walked into West Bromwich police station and confessed.

He was given a full mental health assessment and later sectioned. After undergoing an extensive psychiatric assessment, Birmingham Crown Court heard how at the time of the attack he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.

In sentencing Singh to an indefinite hospital and restriction order, under Section 41 of the Mental Health Act, Judge Patrick Thomas concluded that no order could begin to make good the grief suffered by the family, the loss being irreparable.

Judge Thomas said Singh was an extremely dangerous individual who would medication.

He also stated that in the interests of public safety, a hospital and restriction order was the most appropriate way of dealing with him.

This means that he cannot be released without approval from the Ministry of Justice and that of a mental health tribunal.

Detective Sergeant Andy Houston, from Force CID, said: “This has been a truly horrific time for Umesh’s family who are struggling to come to terms with what has happened and I cannot imagine the sense of loss they feel. I hope the sentence will be of some comfort to them and help them rebuild their lives.” offend if not taking