Boyfriend admits stabbing student, 19, to death but won't face trial
Boyfriend admits stabbing 19-year-old student to death in her university accommodation but will not face trial for her murder
- Maher Maaroufe, 23, has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Sabita Thanwani
The boyfriend of a 19-year-old student has admitted to stabbing her to death in her university accommodation, but will not face trial for her murder.
Maher Maaroufe, 23, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Sabita Thanwani, who attended City of London University, but denied it was murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
The prosecution indicated that the plea was acceptable to the Crown and Maaroufe will not face trial for her murder.
Emergency services were alerted after a neighbour heard screams coming from Ms Thanwani’s room in central London early on March 19 last year.
Her attacker tried to get into another room before leaving the building in Sebastian Street, Clerkenwell, it was claimed.
Sabita Thanwani, a 19-year-old student, was studying at City of London University, near to the accommodation where she died
Maher Maaroufe, 23, is believed to have been in a relationship with Ms Thanwani
Police found Ms Thanwani with a serious neck injury lying under blankets and a duvet on the floor. She was then pronounced dead at the scene at 6am.
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A post-mortem examination gave the cause of her death as sharp force trauma to the neck.
Maaroufe was found by police asleep under a tarpaulin in a garden shed. He allegedly head-butted a police officer while being arrested.
On Friday, Maaroufe appeared at the Old Bailey via video link from Broadmoor hospital for a plea hearing.
He pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denied Ms Thanwani’s murder.
He also pleaded guilty to a charge of assault by beating an emergency worker.
The defendant, of no fixed address, was assisted by an Arabic interpreter and was remanded back into custody.
Ms Thanwani’s family were in court and the sentencing was adjourned to September.
The Metropolitan Police were called to reports of a woman injured student accommodation in Clerkenwell
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