Published by Robert L Senior Reporter on Thursday 3rd April 2025, at 15:35hrs
Mareez Bachu, 23, has been sentenced to an indefinite hospital order under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act following a violent knife rampage in Plymouth city centre in April 2022.
The decision was made by Judge Simon Carr at Truro Crown Court.
Bachu, of Ebrington Street, Plymouth, had previously pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding, possession of a bladed article in a public place, assaulting a police officer, and affray.
He was originally charged with attempted murder after a man was stabbed on Belgrave Road in the early hours of April 8, 2022.
During a four-day trial at Plymouth Crown Court, which concluded on February 15, 2025, the jury heard evidence from two expert psychiatrists.
These experts testified that Bachu suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. The jury subsequently found him not guilty of attempted murder and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
CCTV footage presented in court depicted Bachu entering a Premier Stores armed with a kitchen knife concealed in a pizza takeaway box.
He brandished the knife at a shop worker, who defended himself with a mop handle and a wet floor sign. Bachu then chased three men out of the store. He later confronted another man, who was walking home from work, and stabbed him twice in the abdomen.
The victim suffered serious injuries, including a collapsed lung and perforated diaphragm, requiring extensive hospital treatment and recovery.
Police officers arrived at the scene and, after using incapacitant spray, apprehended Bachu, who was still wielding the knife.
He was subsequently taken into custody and remanded at Langdon Hospital, a secure psychiatric facility.
Investigating officer A/Detective Sergeant Andrew Trott-Rodgers praised the victim and witnesses for their cooperation and acknowledged the bravery of those who intervened to prevent further harm.
He also commended the police officers for their courageous actions in confronting Bachu.
Judge Simon Carr, in his sentencing, acknowledged Bachu’s severe mental illness, stating that his level of delusion and paranoia prevented him from forming the intent necessary for criminal liability.
He concluded that a secure hospital setting would provide the appropriate medical care and ensure Bachu’s compliance with treatment, which would be impossible in a prison environment.
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