Grandmother was ‘stabbed to death by gore video lover with hunting knife’

A gore video fanatic bought a hunting knife online before fatally stabbing a woman 18 times as she waited at a bus stop, a court has heard.

The court heard Jala Debella, 24, was seen by several witnesses stabbing Anita Mukhey, 66, in north London, around 11.50am on May 9, 2024.

Afterwards, Debella was seen ‘casually’ walking away as people rushed to help the Mukhey and call 999.

Mukhey died around thirty minutes later, despite the efforts of medics and police, the Old Bailey heard.

On Monday, jurors were told that Debella was unwell and could not attend court as prosecutor Jonathan Polnay KC opened a trial of the facts.

Polnay told jurors: ‘Debella killed Ms Mukhey in a senseless attack – so far as the prosecution are aware, they were completely unknown to each other.’

The court was told that Debella had lived in Colindale, north-west London, in a residential home supporting people with mental health problems.

Lawyers said the defendant had a ‘particular interest in very violent videos’ online, which depicted extreme violence with knives and other weapons.

The court also heard the defendant also had a ‘particular interest in knives’ and bought a 21cm hunting knife two months before the alleged murder for £120 in Covent Garden.

On April 26 2024, he tried to buy a ‘Survivor 9.5 fixed blade knife’ from Blades.co.uk, which declined to supply it to him because of where he lived.

Just three days before the killing, he successfully purchased a hunting knife with a sheath from knifewarehouse.co.uk, the court was told.

Debella had tracked the delivery of the hunting knife on the Royal Mail website before receiving it at 10.44 am on the day of the attack.

Minutes later, Debella searched on his computer for ‘killing video’ and visited a website containing graphic violent content, jurors heard.

CCTV captured Debella walking on Edgware Road, past a bus stop and then returning to the scene, where Mukhey was attacked.

Thirty seconds later, she could be seen collapsing in the road with the first 999 call being made at 11.48am.

Witnesses described seeing a male appear to argue and punch the victim in the face and stomach repeatedly, then seeing a knife in the attacker’s hand.

There was a ‘high-pitched scream’ before the victim collapsed on the ground and the man ‘casually’ walked away, jurors were told.

As he left the area, Debella appeared to throw something in a bin – later that day, police recovered a knife which looked identical to the one Debella had bought online, Polnay said.

Forensic analysis showed it had DNA from Debella and Mukhey on it, the court was told.

On returning home, Debella allegedly searched the internet for ‘knife’, ‘gore video’ and ‘breaking news’.

Police arrived at 4.46 pm and an officer saw Debella in the communal corridor and recognised him from CCTV footage, even though he had changed his clothes, it was alleged.

On being arrested on suspicion of murder, he said: ‘I want to speak to my lawyer.’

Examination of bloodstained Nike trainers seized from his room identified DNA ‘one billion times’ more likely to come from Debella and Mukhey than unknown people.

Debella has been charged with murder and possession of an offensive weapon.

The trial continues.

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