Indefinite detention for schizophrenic man after brutal bus stop killing
A paranoid schizophrenic who carried out a frenzied knife attack on a grandmother at a busy London bus stop has been detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act. Jala Debella, 24, was sentenced today at the Old Bailey for the killing of 66-year-old medical secretary Anita Mukhey in Edgware, northwest London.
Horrific attack witnessed by passers-by
The court heard how Debella stabbed Ms Mukhey 18 times with a hunting knife he had purchased online just hours before the attack. The incident occurred on Burnt Oak Broadway shortly before lunchtime on May 9, 2024, with horrified witnesses rushing to help the victim as Debella walked calmly away from the scene.
Judge Philip Katz KC, addressing an empty dock as Debella was not present in court, described Ms Mukhey as "the heart of the family" and a "wife, mother and grandmother" who was killed by a complete stranger on a busy main road.
Online weapon purchase despite mental health support
The Old Bailey was told that Debella had been living in a residential home supporting people with mental health problems at the time of the attack. Despite this supervised environment, he was able to purchase the hunting knife online, with the weapon delivered to his home in nearby Colindale approximately one hour before he used it to kill Ms Mukhey.
Prosecutors revealed that Debella had been obsessed with gory online videos and had searched for "killing video" content on his computer before the attack. The violence he carried out mirrored the extreme content he had been consuming.
Family questions mental health risk assessments
In a statement read to the court, Ms Mukhey's husband Hari described his wife as the "centre of our home" whose absence had left "silence that nothing can fill." The family raised serious concerns about how Debella's risk had been assessed by mental health services.
The family statement highlighted:
- Debella had been assessed by consultant psychiatrists as psychologically stable and safe for the community
- He was simultaneously engaging in escalating behaviour including acquiring weapons and researching extreme violence
- Questions about why he could purchase weapons while living in a staffed, CQC-registered mental health rehabilitation home
- Concerns about whether current risk assessment models can detect danger developing beyond clinical consultations
Medical history and sentencing
Dr Melanie Higgins, Debella's medical consultant, confirmed he had been detained under the Mental Health Act on at least three occasions before attacking Ms Mukhey. He was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and arrangements have been made for his continued admission at Ashworth High Secure Hospital in Merseyside.
Debella was sentenced to a hospital order under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act with a restriction order under Section 41, meaning he can be detained indefinitely for public protection.
Police response and ongoing questions
Detective Chief Inspector Alex Gammampila from Scotland Yard acknowledged that while the sentence was necessary for public protection, it offered "little comfort" to Ms Mukhey's family. He praised the dignity and courage shown by the family over the 20 months since the attack and thanked members of the public who tried to help during the incident.
Judge Katz noted he would not express an opinion on the "safety of the regime" at the residential home where Debella lived but added that "no doubt others will consider it, hopefully soon."
The Care Quality Commission confirmed that while the organisation providing Debella's care had registered with them, the specific services being provided at the time did not fall under CQC's regulatory scope, preventing formal investigation into the matter.
An inquest into Ms Mukhey's death has been opened and adjourned as the legal process continues to examine the circumstances surrounding this tragic case that has raised significant questions about mental health risk assessment and public safety protocols.
