The sentence for paranoid, schizophrenic, who attacked a central city area in his first months of release from prison was life imprisonment with a minimum term 21 years.
Zephaniah M. McLeod was 28, who killed a student and inflicted seven more injuries when he took to the streets of Birmingham with a knife on September 6, last year.
McLeod put a razor in Jacob Billington’s neck, killing him 23-year-old from Crosby.
McLeod, who was sentenced today at Birmingham Crown Court to Life with an initial term of 21 Years to serve at a high security hospital.
Michael Callaghan was 23 years old and was with Jacob. He was also badly injured along six other revellers in the violent series of random stabbings.
McLeod also attacked six more people: Dimitar Bacvarov, Migle Doulobauskaite and Thomas Glassey. Shane Rowley was Shane Rowley’s partner. Rhys Cummings was his accomplice. Ryan Bowers was the third victim.
McLeod had previously plead guilty to manslaughter due to diminished responsibility. There were also four counts for attempted murder, and three cases of wounding.
Zephaniah MacLeod had already pleaded guilty on grounds of diminished liability to Jacob Billington’s murder, but she later admitted to three counts each of attempted murder and wounding with intent during a series on September 6th last year. Left, handout photo. Right, court artist sketch
A university worker, Mr Billington from Crosby (Merseyside), died after sustaining a neck injury while returning to his hotel room. He had been out with a friend visiting the city and was enjoying a night.
McLeod came to Dimitar Bacvarov, his first victim in Constitution Hill. After asking for a smoke, he stabbed him with a knife in the neck and fled. McLeod attacked Migle Dolobauskaite in Livery Street about 20 minutes after that. He stabbed him on the left shoulder and neck.
Thomas Glassey was on Barwick Street at the time McLeod stabbed him twice. He was later taken to hospital in critical condition. Peter Grieves Smith, QC, was charged with the prosecution. The knife that McLeod used to attack Glassey was found nearby in a drain.
McLeod tried to purchase another knife at a local pizza joint. McLeod was denied a knife and took a taxi to his house. He then armed himself again with another knife, before going on to search for other victims.
The attacker then attacked Mr Billington, Michael Callaghan and a number of other friends returning from a night out at a hotel. After a post-mortem, it was determined that Billington had died from a neck injury.
McLeod had been seen by a psychiatrist on September 3rd. He claimed that he was hearing distressing voices.
A few years prior, he had spoken of his dark and sinister thoughts regarding killing and heard voices telling him to kill them.
McLeod was sentenced on Wednesday at the second hearing. A psychiatrist told McLeod that he will need to be treated for life and that he would pose a threat to other people if remanded to jail.
Dr. Jeremy Kenney Herbert described the defendant’s behavior as a very dangerous man’ that could be a threat to other prisoners in prison.
McLeod said McLeod had claimed that he didn’t remember any of the events in July-September last year, and urged McLeod to be detained under the Mental Heath Act.
Michael Burrows, QC, Defence Barrister, inquired why McLeod, a prisoner, was freed in mid-pandemic, in April 2020 without any supervision or support.
CCTV images were released by the police of an individual wanted for a number of stabbings
A cordon is formed on Hurst Walk by forensic officers near Arcadia Centre. This was where the majority of the attacks took place.
Dr Kenney Herbert responded: “In April 2020, someone like that would live close to home in order to be near mental health services.”
Housing and supervision are the most important things. It is unlikely that he will become mentally ill without this support.
“He was very poor in medication, money and supervision.
I understand that he served his sentence to its very end and was released without any conditions.
“Without this support and the failure to register with a GP it is possible for him to relapse from his mental illness.”
He said, “Clearly, at some point he realized he needed assistance and registered with an office.” His GP recommended him to the local mental healthcare service.
“He was very concerned about his mental health. But it was too late. He wasn’t sure what to do.
He was severely mentally ill.
“It is my belief his terrible behavior and crimes can be attributed to mental illness.”
We are updating the story. We will keep updating the story.