Stranger killed woman in stamp attack, court hears

A drug-dealer crashed a car and then killed a female passerby by stamping on her head, a murder trial has heard.

Jurors were told former university student Chukwuemeka Ahanonu, 23, was a stranger to mother Nila Patel, 56, who died in hospital two days after suffering brain damage.

Opening the case on Monday, prosecutor Mary Prior KC said the attack occurred after the defendant escaped injury when the car he was driving overturned near Leicester Royal Infirmary on 24 June last year.

Ahanonu, of Dover Street, Leicester, denies the victim's murder but has pleaded guilty to her manslaughter, claiming diminished responsibility.

Leicester Crown Court heard Patel, who was 5ft 4in (162cm), "was viciously attacked by this defendant".

"He was a complete stranger to her. This happened in broad daylight in Leicester city centre," Prior said.

"She had just got off the bus on her way home and was walking along the road, talking on the telephone to her dear friend.

"She was pulled from behind by the defendant, punched in the face with such severity that she fell on to the pavement. She was then kicked and stamped on as she lay on the floor... stamped on in her face."

Paramedics and then doctors attempted to treat the severe brain and facial injuries caused by the attack but she died two days later.

"The defendant killed Nila Patel by punching her, by kicking her and by stamping on her," Prior added.

"She did nothing to cause the attack and could not defend herself."

Prior said Ahanonu, who was in receipt of Universal Credit, claimed he could earn £10,000 a month from drug-dealing to more than 250 customers.

The prosecutor said Ahanonu had lived in Leicester for several years and at the time of the killing "had smoked lots of cannabis".

She added: "He had driven dangerously in the city and then crashed the car he was driving.

"He got out of the car and ran up the middle of the road towards Nila and attacked her.

"Some of the attack was caught on the body-worn camera of one of the security guards from the Leicester Royal Infirmary who had gone to help anyone involved in the car collision which the defendant caused.

"The defendant killed Nila Patel. He says that at the time of the attack he did not intend to kill her or to cause her really serious bodily harm."

Prior told the court Ahanonu's defence team were expected to "argue that he was developing schizophrenia".

The trial, which is set to last four weeks, continues.

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