Mosque attacker sentenced to secure hospital order

It was clear there was a lot for the judge to consider when passing his sentence this afternoon.

He noted that while the jury had been asked to consider if Abbkr was insane when he carried out his attacks, they were unable to reach that conclusion and instead found him guilty of attempted murder.

The judge explained in his remarks that as both attacks had involved fire and had caused “significant injury” and psychological harm to his victims, he could have faced a long prison sentence.

But he also took into consideration the view of the medical professionals who had told the court about Abbkr’s paranoid schizophrenia, hallucinations and psychosis at the time of the attack.

Referring to the two offences, the judge concluded: “Without such illness you would not have committed them.”