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A mentally ill man may be locked up for the rest of his life after today admitting killing his mother because he believed she was practicing black magic against him.

Nicholas Aina, 28, had stopped taking medication for his paranoid schizophrenia because he thought it would help him lose weight.

But instead he fell into severe psychosis and embarked on a knife rampage through the home he shared with his family. 

Aina handed himself in to police minutes after killing 64-year-old Caroline Adeyelu and injuring his 23-year-old sister Angel Adeyelu at their home in Dagenham, east London, last October 30.

He was delusional about witchcraft, electric voltage and being the ‘king of Africa’, the court was told.

Aina admitted the manslaughter of his mother by diminished responsibility and unlawfully wounding his sister.

Today he was handed a hospital order without limit of time by Judge David Aubrey KC at the Old Bailey.

The judge told him: ‘You have a psychotic illness, namely paranoid schizophrenia, which is a severe and enduring illness.

Nicholas Aina, 28, had stopped taking medication for his paranoid schizophrenia before attack

Nicholas Aina, 28, had stopped taking medication for his paranoid schizophrenia before attack

His 64-year-old mother Caroline Adeyelu was killed in the knife attack in the family's home

His 64-year-old mother Caroline Adeyelu was killed in the knife attack in the family’s home

‘You will remain a risk of further psychiatric episodes in the future and it is of relevance that you had two previous admissions when you had been detained under the Mental Health Act.

‘You have caused untold and devastating harm to your family but in my judgment the need for punishment is reduced because your culpability was adversely affected by your mental illness.’

Opening the facts earlier, Deanna Heer KC said Aina has a history of psychotic illness for which he had twice been admitted to hospital before being discharged into the community in October 2021.

He has been violent to family members in the past, hitting another sister over the head with a lamp and threatening his mother with a knife.

In the week before the killing, Angel Adeyelu noticed her brother’s mental health was deteriorating and their mother spoke to a nurse, the court was told.

Last October 28, Aina disappeared, travelling to Paris and returning home two days later.

Aina's mental health was deteriorating and his mother (pictured) spoke to a nurse, the court was told today

Aina’s mental health was deteriorating and his mother (pictured) spoke to a nurse, the court was told today

Aina handed himself in to police minutes after killing 64-year-old Caroline Adeyelu and injuring his 23-year-old sister Angel Adeyelu at their home in Dagenham, east London, last October 30

Aina handed himself in to police minutes after killing 64-year-old Caroline Adeyelu and injuring his 23-year-old sister Angel Adeyelu at their home in Dagenham, east London, last October 30

At about 9pm on October 30, Angel Adeyelu was getting ready to go out when Aina entered her room with a knife, smiling and ‘looking possessed’, the court heard.

He told her: ‘I’m going to kill you. I’m going to kill you. You’re a witch,’ before stabbing her seven times in the chest, arm, wrist and thigh.

Hearing her screams, Caroline Adeyelu rushed in and tried to get Aina off her daughter but he overpowered her and lunged at her with the knife.

He went on to stab his mother in the chest and arm before leaving the house and throwing the knife in a bin, the court was told.

Angel Adeyelu called 999 and police arrived just after 9.30pm to find the house in darkness and blood on the door handle.

The young woman was taken to Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel for treatment and Caroline Adeyelu died at the scene.

At 9.41pm, Aina walked into Dagenham police station and said: ‘I am here to hand myself in for a stabbing at Auriel Avenue.’

In a police interview, he admitted attacking his mother and sister because his family were ‘out to get him’, Ms Heer said.

The prosecutor told the court: ‘He said he suffered from paranoid schizophrenia but had stopped taking his medication 16 days ago because he wanted to lose weight.’

Following his remand to Pentonville prison, Aina was assessed by medical professionals who found him to be delusional.

Sentencing, Judge Aubrey told Aina he will need treatment for many years to come, adding: ‘There is a possibility you will never be released.’

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This post first appeared on Daily mail