Man injured woman, 82, before killing stranger in knife attack, court told

A man allegedly injured an 82-year-old woman in a knife attack before stabbing a man to death in west London, a court has heard.

Norris Henry is said to have stabbed Elizabeth Walsh in the back on Albany Road, Brentford, before walking on and knifing 20-year-old Ali Abucar Ali fatally in the chest on November 12 2021.

Mrs Walsh was taken to hospital and survived but Mr Ali died soon after he collapsed in a nearby kebab shop seeking help, the court heard.

Henry, who lived locally, appeared at the Old Bailey via video link on Tuesday for a trial of issue charged with murder and attempted murder.

Without warning, Mr Henry pulled the large knife from his pocket and stabbed Mrs Walsh to the back

The court was told the 38-year-old suffers from “treatment resistant paranoid schizophrenia” and did so at the time of the alleged incident.

Jurors heard psychiatrists concluded the defendant is not fit to plead or stand trial and that the jury’s role is to decide whether he did the two alleged acts.

“That is that he deliberately stabbed first Mrs Walsh and then Mr Ali with his knife, causing Mrs Walsh serious injury, and causing Mr Ali’s death,” prosecutor Duncan Atkinson KC said.

The prosecutor told the court that Henry used a “large knife” with a 25cm long blade.

“In the course of his walk along Albany Road, the defendant walked past Elizabeth Walsh, an 82-year-old woman who was a complete stranger to him,” Mr Atkinson said.

“Without warning, Mr Henry pulled the large knife from his pocket and stabbed Mrs Walsh to the back.

“He then walked on and approached Ali Abucar Ali, a 20-year-old man who was also a complete stranger to him.

“Saying ‘you want it as well’, the defendant again used his knife to stab Mr Ali to the chest.”