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| Big Issue stabbings: Homeless man pleads guilty to manslaughter | Big Issue stabbings: Homeless man pleads guilty to manslaughter |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A homeless man has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of two Big Issue sellers who were stabbed in Birmingham. | A homeless man has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of two Big Issue sellers who were stabbed in Birmingham. |
| Ian Gladwish, 31, and Wayne Busst, 32, who were also homeless, were stabbed in Union Street in the city centre on 11 January. | Ian Gladwish, 31, and Wayne Busst, 32, who were also homeless, were stabbed in Union Street in the city centre on 11 January. |
| At Birmingham Crown Court, John Ward pleaded guilty on the grounds of diminished responsibility. | At Birmingham Crown Court, John Ward pleaded guilty on the grounds of diminished responsibility. |
| Ward, who has paranoid schizophrenia, was remanded in custody and appeared via video link. | |
| The Big Issue founder John Bird said following the deaths, there were a number of people at the magazine organisation who said it "can't leave people in this situation". | |
| Both men were stabbed to death near their pitches. | |
| Fled to cinema | |
| The court heard how Ward had travelled up to Birmingham from London the day before the killings, where he met Mr Gladwish and Mr Ward. | |
| The three spent several hours together during the day, before meeting up again shortly before the stabbing. | |
| In between their meetings, Ward purchased the knife which was used to stab his victims, police said. | |
| One of the men was stabbed outside Sainsbury's in Union Street, while the other was found slumped nearby outside a side entrance to Boots. | |
| After stabbing the two men, Ward fled to New Street and into the Odeon cinema. | |
| Officers followed Ward into the cinema where he was arrested. | |
| In late January, a memorial service for the victims was held at St Martin's Church, in Birmingham City Centre. |