A man obsessed with graphic violent videos bought a hunting knife online and monitored its delivery in real-time just minutes before he carried out a fatal attack on a grandmother at a bus stop in North London, a court has been told.
A Senseless Attack on a Devoted Grandmother
Anita Mukhey, a 66-year-old married grandmother and former NHS worker, was stabbed 18 times as she waited at a bus stop on Edgware Road. The attack occurred at approximately 11.50am on Thursday, 9 May 2024. Several members of the public witnessed the assault, with the first emergency call being made at 11.48am.
Despite the efforts of medics and police who rushed to the scene, Ms Mukhey was pronounced dead at 12.22pm. The court heard she was "devoted to her family" and had worked for the National Health Service.
Online Obsession and Knife Purchases
The Old Bailey trial of facts heard that the defendant, 24-year-old Jala Debella, had a "particular interest in very violent videos" online depicting extreme knife violence. This obsession translated into real-world action in the lead-up to the killing.
Prosecutor Jonathan Polnay KC outlined a sequence of knife purchases:
- Two months before the attack, Debella bought a 21cm blade for £120 from a shop in Covent Garden.
- On 26 April 2024, he attempted to buy a "Survivor 9.5 fixed blade knife" from Blades.co.uk, but the sale was declined due to his location.
- Just three days before the murder, on 6 May, he successfully purchased a hunting knife with a sheath from knifewarehouse.co.uk.
On the morning of the attack, Debella tracked the delivery of the hunting knife via the Royal Mail website, receiving it at his supported accommodation in Colindale, north-west London, at 10.44am. Minutes later, he searched online for "killing video" and visited websites containing graphic violent content.
The Attack and Aftermath
CCTV footage showed Debella walking north on Edgware Road, passing a bus stop, and then returning to the location where Ms Mukhey was waiting. Thirty seconds after he returned, she was seen collapsing in the road.
Witnesses described seeing a man arguing with the victim before repeatedly punching her in the face and stomach. They then saw a knife in the attacker's hand. Following a "high-pitched scream", the victim fell to the ground and her assailant "casually" walked away, discarding an item in a bin.
Police later recovered a knife that appeared identical to the one purchased online. Forensic analysis found DNA from both Debella and Ms Mukhey on the weapon.
After returning home, Debella allegedly searched the internet for "knife", "gore video" and "breaking news". Police arrested him at 4.46pm the same day after an officer recognised him from CCTV, despite a change of clothes. Bloodstained Nike trainers seized from his room contained DNA evidence that was "one billion times" more likely to have come from Debella and Ms Mukhey than from unknown individuals.
Debella, who was unwell and did not attend court, made no comment in a police interview. He has been charged with murder and possession of an offensive weapon. The trial of facts, before Judge Philip Katz KC, continues at the Old Bailey.
