On Thursday 10th December, it was reported that a shopkeeper who had allegedly slit the throats of his two children was sent to a psychiatric hospital indefinitely.
41-year-old Nadarajah Nithiyakumar, originally from Sri Lanka had killed his 18-month-old Pavinya and her three-year-old brother Nigish while his wife was in the shower during earlier this year in April. Baby Pavinya was pronounced dead at the scene and Nigish was rushed to Royal London Hospital where he died two hours later. According to The Daily Mail, the delusional father told doctors he had been “frustrated” because he suspected customers were trying to torment him at CVS Superstore in Hainault, Essex, and he was being “followed” by Scotland Yard. He had also reportedly contemplated “suicide” but apparently believed that his children would become “naughty” if they were left without a father and resolved to end their lives before his own.
The court heard that Nithiyakumar was placed into an induced coma after stabbing himself in the neck and chest with a third knife during the attack. Nithiyakumar had been reportedly known to mental health services since 2010 when he was prescribed antipsychotic medication but had 'sporadic' contact with them.
Mrs Justice Cutts ruled the father's “dangerousness” was a result of his mental illness and said a prison sentence would be inappropriate.
She said, “I accept the offences were highly specific but I cannot agree that this means the risk to others is low. Were your condition to go untreated and you found yourself in the same position again, the risk of harm to members of the public would likely be significant. It is not yet known... How complete your recovery will be, although I note psychiatrists observe progress to date has been slow.
“These offences were particularly grave and would were it not for your mental illness bear substantial sentences of imprisonment. Your retained responsibility for these offences falls into the lowest category. Successful treatment of that condition... Would also mean you were no longer dangerous.”
Nithiyakumar, of Ilford, admitted two counts of manslaughter. He was sent to a psychiatric hospital for treatment indefinitely and will not be released until doctors deem it safe to do so.
