Man Suffering from Paranoid Schizophrenia Acquitted of Murder and Manslaughter
An East London man, Kieran McHugh, suffering from severe mental health difficulties was acquitted of murder and manslaughter yesterday at the Old Bailey after a 40 day trial where his co-defendant, Mahi Noor had blamed him for the murder of Abdi Khadar Adan.
The three men resided in the same hostel at the time. All 3 men had been in Mahi Noor’s bedroom together for around 6 and a half minutes. Abdi and Mahi had been involved in a text argument, and he went to Nahi’s room, where he received the fatal stabbing to his neck. The three men had only been together in the room for just 6 and a half minutes, when Abdi left the room clutching his neck to seek help from the hostel staff.
He had been stabbed through a main artery in his neck leading to immediate arterial blood loss and blood spatter. Much of the bedroom walls and floor was covered in blood spatter.
Michael Carroll & Co left no stone unturned during their robust and proactive preparation of Kieran’s trial. They obtained relevant expert opinion and reports to assist in his defence, including obtaining expert intermediary opinion that resulted in Kieran being supported everyday throughout his trial with the services of an intermediary. They further obtained expert reports from blood spatter expert Gillian Leak that was used to assist in the skilful cross-examination of Mr Noor.
The co-defendant gave evidence over 6 days and accused Kieran McHugh of the stabbing.
The Crown Prosecution brought their case against Mahi Noor and Kieran McHugh as a joint enterprise killing, they considered that regardless of the stabber, they had both acted together in the joint attack.
Despite the efforts of both the prosecutor and the co-defendant in this cut-throat trial, the jury took just five hours to reach their unanimous verdicts. They found Mahi Noor guilty of Murder and Kieran McHugh Not Guilty of Murder and Manslaughter.
Kieran McHugh was represented by Michael Carroll, solicitor and David Hislop KC leading Edel Speirits of Michael Carroll and Co Solicitors.
Media Coverage: London Evening Standard, Daily Mail
