Maher Maaroufe

A MAN convicted of killing his girlfiend slipped through the cracks and did not know how to access the mental health care he needed, a court heard last Friday.

Maher Maaroufe, who is from Tunisia, stabbed City University student Sabita Thanwani, 19, repeatedly in her halls of residence bedroom in Sebastian Street, Clerkenwell, in March last year.

At his sentencing hearing in the Old Bailey on Friday, Mr Maaroufe’s Broadmoor psychiatrist, Dr Christian Brown told the court that Mr Maaroufe did not know how to access the care he needed to treat his schizo-affective disorder, which may have been the root cause of his violence.

“When Mr Maaroufe came to this country, he tells me that his intention was to get a job, earn money, and to send it back to his family,” Dr Brown told the court.

Mr Maaroufe came to the UK when he was a teenager, and his visa has since expired. He is now seeking asylum here.

“He told me that because his visa wasn’t extended into the future, he couldn’t seek education,” Dr Brown said. “I understand he had a work ethic, and didn’t want to not work, and so engaged in a number of informal jobs which were set up by family and friends.

“He describes being treated very badly in these jobs, and being asked to do the work of many people… because his employers knew he had no recourse.”

He added: “Quite differently to his expectations, he ended up having to ask his family in Tunisia to send him money, and on occasion, going without food.”

Dr Brown said Mr Maaroufe suffered from paranoia – believing that demons were after him, and people were out to hurt him in the streets of London.

Sabita Thanwani

He told the court that Mr Maaroufe believed he was experiencing something spiritual rather than mental, and was attending his mosque more than usual.

A book belonging to Mr Maaroufe entitled How to Expel Demons was found at the scene.

Dr Brown stated that at the time of the killing, Mr Maaroufe believed Ms Thanwani had been possessed by the devil.

He said: “Mr Maaroufe’s own recollection is he started to develop symptoms of paranoia – people running and chasing after him in London – two years prior to the offence.

“He didn’t know how to get help for this, and didn’t realise it was a mental health condition, rather than spiritual.”

The court also heard that Mr Maaroufe tried to attend an A&E unit at one point but was turned away and not given treatment.

Prior to the stabbing, Mr Maaroufe stayed with his uncle and cousins outside of London.

“His uncle was really quite perturbed by his condition. He wasn’t sleeping in the middle of the night and was talking to himself,” Dr Brown said.

“His uncle sought help from a friend who told him that Mr Maaroufe needed to see a GP.”

Mr Maaroufe’s uncle gave this same advice to him, but he did not take it.

Dr Brown told the court that Mr Maaroufe had no understanding of British healthcare systems and therefore had little capacity to seek help for his mental state.

“His understanding of the British healthcare system was such that he didn’t understand what I meant by asking him to see a GP,” said Dr Brown.

The court had already heard that Ms Thanwani was living in fear of her partner and she was trying to leave the relationship.

Mr Maaroufe admitted manslaughter and will be sentenced on December 8.