Manslaughter plea accepted in dog walker Wayne Broadhurst killing

Manslaughter plea accepted in dog walker Wayne Broadhurst killing

A 28-year-old man has admitted to killing a dog walker in an attack that prosecutors have described as a “frenzy of violence” in west London. On October 27, 2025, Dawood Safi fatally stabbed 49-year-old Wayne Broadhurst. During the first day of his trial at Southwark Crown Court, Safi pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, citing a psychotic state at the time—a claim accepted by the prosecution.

Safi is also facing trial for the attempted murder of his 45-year-old landlord, Shahzad Farrukh, as well as a 14-year-old boy, both victims of an attack in Midhurst Gardens, Uxbridge. Prosecutor Jonathan Laidlaw KC informed the court that four mental health professionals had assessed Safi and concluded he had undergone a “complete mental collapse” during the violent episode. Psychiatrists described Safi as neurotic, prone to rumination and worry, with a rigid moral outlook.

According to Laidlaw, Safi was experiencing a psychotic state in which he had lost touch with reality, hearing voices and holding delusional beliefs. The court heard that a witness described Safi as looking “possessed” before he attacked Broadhurst, a man he did not know. Broadhurst sustained multiple stab wounds to his neck, chest, and side, leading to his death. Previously, Safi had admitted to lesser charges related to the injuries inflicted on Farrukh and the teenage boy.

The prosecution acknowledged that Broadhurst’s family wanted Safi to be convicted of murder. Safi entered the UK in 2020 via a lorry and was granted asylum two years later, according to the Home Office. Laidlaw revealed that Safi had fabricated elements of his background, including false claims about his father being killed by the Taliban and being threatened by them. The prosecutor stated, “None of that was true.” Furthermore, Safi was consumed by paranoia and believed that people, including his family in the UK, were controlling and plotting against him. He had also given a false date of birth to appear younger, claiming to be 23 when he is in fact 28. The trial is ongoing

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