A ‘doting’ dad killed his three-week-old baby boy in a violent attack after referring to him as the Muslim prophet Muhammad, a jury has been told. Kadees Mohammed threw, shook and hit baby Ibrahim against a wall at the home they shared, and was also said to have hit Mehwish Mubashir and Raqyi Bi, his wife and mother, with an iron as they tried to stop him.
The jury in his trial has been told there is no dispute he killed his son and caused his loved ones serious harm in the incident, which took place on October 18, 2022 The 31-year-old civil servant, who worked for the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), is currently on trial over the claims.
The jury will have to determine his state of mind at the time amid claims he was ‘mentally unwell’ at the time of the incident, which took place at his home in the south Birmingham suburb of Moseley. Birmingham Mail reports Mohammed denies murder, an alternative charge of manslaughter, and two charges of wounding with intent.
Opening the case yesterday, Monday, October 7, prosecutor Harpeet Sandhu KC said: “It seemed to those who encountered the family that they were perfectly pleasant and without any problems. Neighbours thought they were friendly and the defendant appeared to be content. He seemed happily married and he appeared to be a doting father.”
Baby Ibrahim was born on September 27 that year and around two weeks later a health visitor concluded he seemed ‘well cared for’ following an assessment at his home. The court heard Mohammed gave his family ’cause for concern’ in the months leading up to the killing after becoming ‘fixated’ with the idea he had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), while he was also finding it difficult to sleep.
The jury was also told he ‘struggled with his sexuality‘, had downloaded the gay-dating app Grindr and later confessed to police he was gay following his arrest. On October 17 that year Mohammed was said to behave in an ‘unusual’ way by regularly attending the local mosque to ‘repent’, because he felt he had sinned after having ‘intrusive’ thoughts.
He also spoke about death and being scared, as well as made comments about the devil and being on a ‘higher religious plane’. Paramedics attended in the evening amid family concerns.
Mohammed was ultimately taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to be assessed by the mental health crisis team. But he left and returned home shortly after arrival having been told he faced a four-hour wait to be triaged.
Moving on to the events of the early hours of October 18 Mr Sandhu said: “At about 3am the defendant’s wife was awoken to find her baby son on the floor with the defendant kneeling over him.
“The defendant repeated the words Allahu Akbar – God is great. He did so literally as he held on to his son. When she saw that, the defendant’s wife took their baby son from the defendant.
“By now Ibrahim was unresponsive. It’s likely the defendant had already subjected Ibrahim to severe force by this stage. Mehwish Mubashir ran out of the bedroom along the landing and ran towards the bedroom at the back of the house, occupied by Raqya Bi.
“The defendant ran after her and also therefore ran after Ibrahim who was in Mehwish Mubashir’s arms. The defendant’s wife and his mother tried to stop the defendant from taking hold of the baby. The defendant would not be stopped, however.”
Mr Sandhu described how Mohammed struck both his wife and mother with an iron. He also told the jury he ‘flung’ Ibrahim as though he was ‘shaking’ him, and at one point threw him to the ground and against a wall.
The jury was told Ms Mubashir fled and sought help from neighbours who entered the address. Mr Sandhu said one of them found Muhammed in the bedroom. He said: “He found the defendant kneeling on the floor.
“The defendant cradled Ibrahim. Ibrahim was silent and still. In contrast the defendant was shouting. He appeared to be aggressive and out of control. He repeated ‘I’m Muhammad, my baby is Muhammad’.
“The defendant appeared to be crazy to those who observed him.” He told the jury neighbours wrestled Ibrahim from the grasp of the defendant who tried to bite the baby’s head in the process. Mohammed was heard to have said ‘my baby is the prophet’.
Police arrived around 3.50am and arrested the defendant. Whilst being booked into custody he made comments about being gay and said: “I can’t believe I killed my son.” Mr Sandhu said: “There will be no issue the defendant was unwell”.
On the allegation of murder they will be asked to consider the legal defence of ‘insanity’ as well as the partial defence of ‘diminished responsibility’. That would reduce the offence to manslaughter.
Mr Sandhu added: “Your focus will be on whether the defendant knew what he was doing when he attacked his son, wife and mother even though he was ill or whether he knew if it was wrong.” The trial continues.
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