‘Inspirational’ lecturer knifed to death by mentally ill man
AN “INSPIRATIONAL” university lecturer was stabbed to death in a random attack by a mentally ill man with a history of drug abuse and violent behaviour, a court heard.
Daniel Young, 30, was mortally wounded by Mark Loveridge near Morden Tube station in south London as he made his way to work on January 19, 2016.
It was his second day of a new job as a teaching fellow in tourism and hospitality at Coventry University London campus.
Half an hour before, Loveridge, 39, of Mitcham, south London, attacked 23-year-old Polish builder Kamil Bulat as he put tools into his car.
Loveridge stabbed him in the buttocks some 300 metres from the home he shared with his mother and stepfather. In between the attacks, the part-time gardening assistant had phoned his boss to say he was going to be late.
On stabbing Mr Young in the stomach, Loveridge threw the 10cm blade into bushes and continued on his way to work as his victim bled to death in Kendor Gardens.
The same day, police recovered the knife from the park and tests later revealed it had DNA on it belonging to both victims and their attacker. Days later, Loveridge was detained following a struggle with police officers.
Prosecutor William Boyce QC said the defendant had thwarted attempts to interview him and had barricaded himself in.
In custody, Loveridge told a psychiatrist he had been hearing voices on the day of the stabbings and had been carrying a knife by “habit”.
The defendant, who has paranoid schizophrenia, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Young by diminished responsibility and to wounding Mr Bulat with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm.
Consultant forensic psychiatrist Philip Joseph told the court Loveridge had a history of amphetamine abuse which made his condition worse and could trigger it. His condition could be managed but, before the killing, Loveridge had stopped taking his medication routinely.
Dr Joseph told the court Loveridge believed he was under police surveillance and was being persecuted.
The defendant had claimed he was being “framed” and “stitched up.
Members of Mr Young’s family attended the Old Bailey, where Loveridge will be sentenced by Judge Mark Lucraft QC.
In a victim impact statement, his mother, June Young, said her son was “the rock” of the family and a “bright star”, and that his father was now a “broken man”.
Thomas Young, was just 17 at the time his older brother was killed.
He said his brother was an “inspiration” and he treasured the time they had spent together.