Sameer Babar, 35, from Carnegie Gardens in Luton has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his 67 year old neighbour Leonard Flower on the grounds of diminished responsibility at Luton Crown Court today (April 28).
Mr Flower, a retired computer analyst, was found in his garage by a woman delivering leaflets, on October 22. He died shortly after police and ambulance crews arrived. His wife of 47 years was in the house, unaware of the attack.
Babar was arrested the same day at a petrol station on the A45 in Kenilworth by officers from Warwickshire Police after he asked a member of the public to call for ambulance. Babar appeared at a plea and case management hearing at Luton Crown Court today and the manslaughter plea due to diminished responsibility was accepted after psychiatric reports were prepared by all parties. He is now the subject of a Hospital Order under section 37 of the MHA 1983 (as amended 2007) and also subject to a Restriction Order under section 41 of the same act without limit of time.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Liz Mead, of the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, said:
“The Flower family find themselves in tragic circumstances. They now have to cope without Len who should be enjoying his retirement with his wife. Len was killed in his own garage, where he should have been safe but on that October afternoon Sameer Babar carried out a violent attack which has now changed the course of so many innocent lives.
“The medical experts have agreed that at the time of Mr Flower’s death Sameer Babar was suffering from a mental illness and continues to receive the appropriate medical attention for his condition.
Today sees some closure for the Flower family but nothing that has happened in this court room will fill the void that Len’s death has left.”
Speaking after today’s hearing, Mrs Lynn Flower, Len’s wife, said: “I’m heartbroken and devastated at the way my husband’s life was taken.
“Len was a kind, generous and caring husband for 47 years – still fit and able. He helped anyone who asked for a favour.
“As a computer analyst he was an intelligent man, described as such by all who knew him and also very practical. I am lost without him as I am housebound and he was my full time carer. We did everything together.
“The fact that a good, decent man died in such a way hurts me too much. We have lost a good husband, father, grandfather and a kind man who was liked and respected by everyone who met him.”