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Man admits killing academic in Islington doorstep stabbing Man admits killing academic in Islington doorstep stabbing
(about 1 hour later)
A young man with a mental illness has admitted stabbing a renowned academic to death on his doorstep 11 days after the victim had become a father. A man with a mental illness stabbed an academic to death in a random attack just five days after three serious charges, including a knife offence, had been dropped against him, it has emerged.
Dr Jeroen Ensink, 41, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, left his flat in Islington, north London, on 29 December last year to post cards to family and friends announcing the birth of his daughter. Timchang Nandap, 23, launched an attack on Dr Jeroen Ensink, 41, as Ensink went out to post cards to family and friends announcing the birth of his daughter, Fleur.
However, metres from the front door of the home, Ensink was repeatedly stabbed by 23-year-old Femi Nandap, who had been facing charges for a knife offence until they were dropped days earlier. Ensink, a lecturer and water engineer originally from the Netherlands, who worked at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, was yards from his Islington home in north London on 29 December 29 when he was attacked.
Ensink’s wife, Nadja, who was looking after the newborn at home, became concerned when her husband failed to return. She went outside to discover police had cordoned off the street and the cards her husband had been carrying were strewn on the pavement and splattered in blood. Nandap, who uses the name first name Femi, pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility in a brief appearance at the Old Bailey via videolink from Broadmoor high-security hospital on Thursday.
Ensink was pronounced dead shortly after 1.50pm. At an earlier hearing, it can now be reported, Judge Charles Wide, now retired, said: “I have no idea what the circumstances were. I can see there may be some public concern about that.”
At a brief hearing at the Old Bailey on Thursday, Nandap, of Woolwich, south-east London, admitted the manslaughter of Ensink by reason of diminished responsibility; the case was adjourned until 10 October for sentencing. Nandap, of Woolwich, south-east London, had also breached his earlier bail conditions by not returning from a trip to Nigeria on the agreed date and the judge questioned why he was not also prosecuted for that. He said: “There may be serious public concern for this: the bail [offence] as well as the discontinued offences.”
It can now be reported that Nandap had “three serious charges”, including a knife offence, dropped at magistrates court on Christmas Eve, five days before the killing. The charges against him were dropped at magistrates court on Christmas Eve 2015. Court records show Nandap was at Highbury Corner magistrates’ court on 12 October that year, accused of possession of a knife and assaulting a police officer. It was alleged he was found carrying two kitchen knives in Edmonton, north London on 22 May 2015, and that he assaulted a police constable the same day.
At an earlier hearing, now-retired judge Charles Wide said there would be public concern about the decision. He said: “I have no idea what the circumstances were. I can see there may be some public concern about that.” Ensink’s daughter was born just eleven days before the December attack, and his wife, Nadja, was at home with their new-born daughter awaiting his return from posting the cards. When he failed to arrive, she went outside to find police had cordoned off the street and the cards her husband had been carrying strewn on the pavement spattered with blood. Ensink was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 1.50pm.
The defendant had also breached earlier bail conditions by travelling to Nigeria and Wide questioned why he was not also prosecuted for that offence. “There may be considerable public concern for this: the bail [offence] as well as the discontinued offences.” Accepting Nandap’s guilty plea to manslaughter, prosecutor Duncan Atkinson QC said: “There has been extensive psychiatric consideration in this case and the consensus of opinion is clear, cogent and unanimous. In that clear and unanimous psychiatric opinion there was an abnormality of mental function at that time that diminished his responsibility.”
Ensink, originally from the Netherlands, was a renowned water engineer who worked to improve access to water and sanitation in the developing world. The decision not to pursue the murder charge, he said, was taken in communication with Ensink’s family, who were not present for the hearing.
At the time of the killing, Prof Peter Piot, director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: “Dr Ensink joined the school almost a decade ago, and at the time of his death he was leading a large study in the Democratic Republic of Congo to understand how improvements in water supply could control and prevent cholera outbreaks.” The recorder of London, Nicholas Hilliard QC, adjourned the case until 10 October 10 for sentencing.
Nandap appeared at the Old Bailey via videolink from Broadmoor high-security hospital. He spoke only to confirm his name and enter his plea. Ensink was a renowned water engineer and dedicated humanitarian who was committed to improving access to water and sanitation in deprived areas.
The heavily built defendant, who has a history of mental health problems, said he was not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. At the time of the killing, professor Peter Piot, director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: “Dr Ensink joined the school almost a decade ago and at the time of his death he was leading a large study in the Democratic Republic of Congo to understand how improvements in water supply could control and prevent cholera outbreaks.” A memorial fund set up after his killing has raised more than £20,000.
The prosecutor, Duncan Atkinson QC, accepted the plea, saying: “There has been extensive psychiatric consideration in this case and the consensus of opinion is clear, cogent and unanimous. DCI Jamie Piscopo of the Metropolitan police’s homicide and major crime command said: “Dr Jeroen Ensink left his home that lunchtime to post a number of cards to friends and family to inform them of the recent birth of his daughter. What should have been the happiest time of Jeroen’s life was ended by the violent and unprovoked actions of Nandap. Jeroen had only walked a short distance when he was approached by Nandap, who launched into a vicious attack with a knife. He did not stand a chance, and now, sadly, his daughter will grow up without her father in her life.”
“In that clear and unanimous psychiatric opinion there was an abnormality of mental function at that time that diminished his responsibility.”
Atkinson said the decision not to pursue the murder charge was taken in communication with the victim’s family, who were not present for the hearing.
Julian Hendy, of the charity Hundredfamilies, said: “This is another deeply distressing case of an innocent man and young family destroyed by the violent actions of a seriously mentally ill offender.
“These cases are happening now far too often and we await with interest the results of the psychiatric investigations to see if there were opportunities that could have prevented this terrible tragedy.”