An Afghan asylum seeker has admitted the manslaughter of a man who was fatally stabbed in west London, after prosecutors accepted he was suffering from a psychotic illness at the time of the attack. Dawood Safi, 23, appeared before Southwark Crown Court, where he admitted the manslaughter of Wayne Broadhurst on the grounds of diminished responsibility. Safi had originally been charged with Mr Broadhurst’s murder, along with the attempted murders of his landlord, Shahzad Farrukh, 45, and a 14-year-old boy following a series of knife attacks in Midhurst Gardens, Uxbridge, on 27 October. 
Victim attacked while walking his dog
The court heard Mr Broadhurst, who was not known to Safi, was walking past the property with his dog when he was attacked. He suffered multiple stab wounds to his neck, chest and side, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Safi, who was living as a lodger at Mr Farrukh’s address, was later found in an annex armed with a large knife.
Experts found he was suffering psychosis
Opening the case, prosecutor Jonathan Laidlaw KC told the court that four independent medical experts concluded Safi was suffering from an abnormality of mental functioning at the time of the attacks. He said Safi was in “a psychotic state”, having lost contact with reality and being unable to distinguish what was real from what was not. The prosecution accepted the plea of manslaughter after medical evidence concluded the “random, nonsensical and frenzied nature” of the attack was consistent with him being acutely mentally unwell. As a result, prosecutors will no longer pursue the murder charge.
Further charges admitted
At an earlier hearing, Safi admitted:
- Grievous bodily harm with intent in relation to Mr Farrukh.
- Actual bodily harm in relation to the 14-year-old boy.
- Possession of an offensive weapon.
Despite those admissions, he will still stand trial on two counts of attempted murder relating to Mr Farrukh and the teenager.
Entered the UK in 2020
The Home Office has previously confirmed Safi entered the UK in the back of a lorry in 2020 before claiming asylum. His asylum application was granted in 2022. The trial at Southwark Crown Court is continuing.
