A deranged knifeman, who stabbed his aunt over 50 times when she made a surprise visit to his home, has been locked-up in a psychiatric hospital.
Jordan Clarke, 23, of Sudborne Road, Brixton has been made subject to an indefinite detention order at a secure facility for killing 39 year-old Samantha Clarke.
He was convicted at the Old Bailey of manslaughter by means of diminished responsibility.
Police were called by the London Ambulance Service (LAS) at 6.36pm on April 15, 2018 to Clarke's home, following reports of a stabbing.
Officers attended with LAS colleagues and discovered Mrs Clarke in a bedroom.
Despite the efforts of medical professionals, Samantha was pronounced dead at 7.11pm.
A post-mortem gave the cause of death as multiple incise wounds. She had suffered more than 50 in total.
Jordan Clarke, Samantha's nephew by marriage, was arrested at the scene and an investigation launched by homicide detectives from Specialist Crime.
Officers discovered that Jordan had been suffering from deteriorating mental health in the days and weeks leading up to the incident, claiming that he was being followed by undercover police officers, and arranging furniture from the house in the street.
Due to his erratic behaviour, his family sought help from a doctor, who referred him to a local mental health team as a matter of urgency.
At that time, his symptoms were not thought to be acute enough to justify immediate treatment, and so Jordan returned home with his family.
Days later, Jordan’s uncle and his wife, Samantha, decided to visit London from their home in High Wycombe because of some appointments Samantha had in the area.
They had not informed relatives prior to their arrival and so it was a surprise visit.
Jordan’s behaviour began to worsen almost immediately.
Two other relatives who remained at the address saw Jordan holding a screwdriver, before he made his way into the kitchen and took hold of several kitchen knives.
Jordan’s uncle continued to unload luggage and saw Jordan staring at him blankly.
He went out to get more bags from his car and when he came back he found the front door had been locked from the inside, leaving him unable to get in.
Later Clarke simply said: “I have killed Samantha.”
Several psychiatric assessments would later diagnose Jordan as suffering from a psychotic-related illness.
The motivation behind his attack could not be clearly identified, but may have been triggered by his ailing mental health, worsened by the recent death of his grandfather, and the unexpected arrival of his uncle and Samantha.
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