S&P worker ‘stabbed 86 times’
A JEWELLER stabbed his partner to death in “unmodulated rage” after she came to the UK to escape an abusive relationship, a court heard.
Ian Levy, 54, was found by police covered in blood at his home in Hendon after neighbours heard screams and a noise coming from upstairs.
The body of Elize Stevens, 50, who worked for the S&P community as a welfare officer, was found in Mr Levy’s hallway with 86 separate stab wounds. A large kitchen knife and hammer were found lying by her side.
Prosecutor Jane Bickerstaff told the Old Bailey that the killing was a result of Mr Levy’s “unmodulated rage”.
“His case is that at the time he was suffering from anxiety and depression. He says that his responsibility for this killing was lessened,” the prosecutor said.
The court heard the victim had come to the UK with her three children from Israel to escape an abusive relationship.
After the death of her father she met Mr Levy, who came to her home as part of a week-long shiva. “They seem to have formed or rekindled a relationship,” said Ms Bickerstaff.
“The children were unaware of the relationship until September last year. He didn’t really engage or get to know the family — but they knew that they were attending Slimming World together.”
The court heard how Mr Levy worked in the jewellery business but was unemployed at the time of the killing.
Neighbour Michael Harvey who lived directly below Levy told the court: “He used to avoid people when he was coming out of the flat.
“He was very lonely — he didn’t have any friends or family coming to visit.
“I made an effort to talk to him, suggested a dating profile but he was distrusting of a lot of the people that he matched with. He told me ‘I can’t trust these women’.”
The court heard how Levy had tried to commit suicide by throwing himself from a car park after a previous relationship went wrong.
He had also previously reported suffering from anxiety and depression and had rung the police expressing suicidal thoughts.
“It is the Crown’s case that the victim was affectionate, patient and understanding of his condition,” said Ms Bickerstaff.
The jury was shown copies of messages sent between Mr Levy and Ms Stevens which said: “Ian I am so happy to hear your voice even though you are unwell.
“You are extremely good enough to have a relationship.
“You need to move forward and forget about the past — the future will be much better than the past was.
“I am here and waiting for you.” The court heard how, on the night of the incident, Ms Stevens had dropped her family off for a Friday night dinner before going t o see Mr Levy.
“She told her daughters that she had to be at Ian’s by 9 o clock. She went off to Ian’s and that was the last time they saw her alive.”
Ms Bickerstaff said that on the morning “at approximately 10am” Mr Harvey could hear a commotion upstairs and the sound of a woman screaming.
“He heard what sounded like running footsteps and the woman’s voice screaming, saying, ‘Help, help’ and a loud...scream.
“He identified that the noise was coming from Ian Levy’s flat.
“He heard more shouting, ‘Ian stop it. Leave me alone or you’re going to kill me’, and the sound of more running... He could still hear the voice saying ‘Ian please stop, you’re going to kill me. Ian please stop you’re stabbing me’.
“She was shouting to the person at the door to kick the door down.”
Mr Harvey called the police but was unable to force the door open, so called two other neighbours to help him.
The prosecutor said: “Police officers arrived at the block and tried and failed to get a response from Mr Levy.
“Only when they told him they were going to get an ‘enforcer’ to break down the door did he open it.
“He came out into the hallway... covered in blood.
“Police officers could see a large amount of blood on the floor and spattered up the wall and the legs of a prone woman.
“She was... on her back and covered in multiple stab wounds.
“Lying next to her was a large kitchen knife, a hammer and a pair of male tracksuit bottoms.”
Mr Levy, of Lime Close, Great North Way, Hendon, denies murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
The trial continues.