Daniel Levy, 48, has pleaded guilty to the murder of Abdul Kaleem Shaik, 41, at his flat in Vauxhall, south London. Levy admitted to stabbing Mr. Shaik in the neck on New Year's Eve or early New Year's Day before surrendering to police.
Levy arrived at Bishopsgate police station on January 1, stating, "It's happened again," a comment understood to be a reference to a previous killing. Officers found Mr. Shaik's body in Levy's flat. A bloody knife was recovered from the scene.
In a police interview, Levy stated he had known Mr. Shaik for years and allowed him to stay at his flat. He claimed Mr. Shaik was depressed and that he felt compelled to end his life to help him reach heaven. The prosecution noted that Levy had described planning this act.
Levy has a prior conviction for killing his grandmother by stabbing and setting her on fire in July 2000. He was convicted of manslaughter by diminished responsibility and arson in October 2001, receiving an indefinite hospital order. He had previously absconded from a mental health unit and was recalled to hospital in 2013 due to thoughts of harming his parents.
Levy changed his plea to guilty as his trial was about to begin. He told the judge he wished to plead guilty to murder to avoid a public trial. The judge found him fit to enter the plea.