Longsight man who killed neighbour with hammer detained

A man has been detained after admitting killing a neighbour with a hammer while "mentally unwell", police have said.

Greater Manchester Police said Tarik Hussein became "increasingly paranoid" about Esmaeil Tofigh before attacking the 56-year-old at his home on Plymouth Grove in Longsight in February.

Hussain admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility at Manchester Crown Court, the force said.

He was sentenced to a hospital order and a restriction order.

A force representative said Hussein had become "increasingly paranoid regarding his neighbour... over a period of time" and had believed that Mr Tofigh "wanted to harm him and his family".

They said he went to Mr Tofigh's house in the early hours of 5 February and an argument developed.

Hussein then attacked his neighbour with a hammer, "inflicting a number of fatal wounds to his head", they said.

They said Hussein then went home and contacted the emergency services, making "a number of disturbing disclosures".

Officers subsequently found Mr Tofigh's body on the floor of his living room.

The representative said Hussein's sentencing hearing was told "a number of psychiatrists" had concluded he had been "mentally unwell at the time of the fatal incident".

As result, he had "a medical defence" to murder or manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and was handed a section 37 hospital order and section 41 restriction order, they added.

Speaking after the hearing, senior investigating officer Duncan Thorpe said the force's "collective thoughts" were with Mr Tofigh's "loved ones at this extremely difficult time".

"No family or friends should ever have to experience the devastating pain of losing a loved one in this way," he added.

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