Naveed: Psychotic episode
A cannabis addict who believed she was Princess Diana’s secret daughter was last week sentenced to indefinite detention after beating a solicitor to death with a saucepan and cutting his cat’s throat.
Habiba Naveed, 35, admitted the manslaughter of Christopher Brown by diminished responsibility and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
She denied murder and her pleas were accepted by the prosecution.
Her Honour Judge Sarah Munro KC ordered that she be detained indefinitely in a secure psychiatric hospital under the Mental Health Act.
Ms Naveed – who appeared in court via video link from a secure psychiatric unit – had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and was in the grip of a psychotic episode at the time of the attack on Mr Brown on 15 August 2024. She was also a heavy cannabis user.
The Old Bailey heard that she believed she was the daughter of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed.
According to the Metropolitan Police, she gave the only account as to why she killed Mr Brown to a psychiatrist while on remand.
“She described believing Christopher was evil and hearing a voice telling her to kill him three times. She recounted hitting him with a pan she was holding which caused him to fall, before strangling him until she thought he was unconscious.
“Christopher then asked her to stop and she describes realising her actions were wrong, but hitting him again. She believed the evil spirit had jumped out of Christopher and into Snow the cat. She got a knife and cut the cat’s neck.”
Mr Brown had still been working full-time as a solicitor at North London firm Alban Gould Baker & Co, where he had worked his entire career.
HHJ Munro described Mr Brown as a “quiet, calm and selfless man” who helped people when they were most vulnerable.
She told Ms Naveed: “You were clearly able to manipulate others into thinking you were well when you were far from it… There is a pattern since 2020 of your admission to hospital, aggression and violent behaviour when admitted, release, then a period of stability where you are prescribed medication which you do not then take.
“There is no doubt you were psychotic at the time of the offence. You had been off medication for a year. While cannabis exacerbated your symptoms, it was not responsible for them.”
Mr Brown’s colleague from the law firm, Cassie Baker, told the court: “He wasn’t just a 72 year-old man tragically killed by his housemate, he was a solicitor, a boss, a partner, a kind man. He never raised his voice or got angry, he helped anyone he could and, if he couldn’t, he would take the time to find someone who could help.”
Mr Brown’s friend of 36 years, Susan Atkins, said he was a “shy, loyal, thoughtful person with a quiet sense of humour”. She added: “Sadly he was too trusting, too vulnerable, easily manipulated.”
Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn of the Metropolitan Police’s specialist crime unit, who led the investigation, said: “Habiba Naveed has an established history of paranoid schizophrenia. The circumstances of this case highlight the dangers of the illicit use of cannabis and non-compliance with medication prescribed to manage serious mental health conditions.
“Christopher, who was Naveed’s landlord, still worked as a solicitor. He was an incredibly private and well-respected man within the community who is sorely missed by his family and loved ones. Our thoughts are with them today.”
Leave a Comment