Jury sent out to deliberate in trial of dad who threw baby son into River Irwell
| Published date | 30 November 2020 |
| Date | 30 November 2020 |
| Publication title | Manchester Evening News: Web Edition Articles (England) |
Zakari died as a result of hypothermia, drowning, or a combination of the two.
The dad, 23, has since told doctors that he 'believed his son was the devil and that he was being told to drown him' at the time of the crime, after spiralling into a severe state of psychosis.
Ahead of a week-long trial over the death of baby Zakari, Bennett-Eko pleaded not guilty to murder by way of insanity, while the prosecution launched a case that he is guilty of manslaughter by diminished responsibility.
Today, the jury has been sent out of court to decide between the two arguments.
They will reach a decision by following a 'route to verdict', set out by the court.
The route dictates that the jury should find Bennett-Eko not guilty by reason of insanity if they believe he was suffering a 'disease of the mind' -paranoid schizophrenia, in this case -and that he either: did not know what he was doing when he threw his baby or did not know what he was doing was wrong at the time of the throwing.
However, if they do not agree with these options, they should find him guilty of manslaughter by diminished responsibility.
During the trial at The Lowry Nightingale Court, the jury has heard from three psychiatrists how Bennett-Eko had long suffered serious mental health issues, and had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.
Bennett-Eko's past mental health concerns had seen him be admitted to a psychiatric facility for more than a year from 2014.
Before Zakari's death, the court heard Bennett-Eko's mental health had started to seriously deteriorate after he stopped taking his medication -something 'common' for paranoid schizophrenics to do, according to psychiatrists who gave evidence.
One psychiatrist, Dr Melanie Higgins, gave evidence at the trial saying the defendant was aware that he, along with his partner Emma Blood, knew he was relapsing.
Bennett-Eko said he started hallucinating, seeing his baby's 'legs expanding'. He had also started suffering delusions, telling his girlfriend that his mum was Beyonce when, in fact, his own mother is dead.
Bennett-Eko had presented at A&E six times in the weeks leading up to the crime, seeking help for his mental health. He was never admitted to hospital as a result of any of those visits, the court heard.
His 'superficially calm' exterior meant doctors did not recognise his 'seriously disturbed' mental...
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