Vauxhall man pleads guilty to murdering friend on New Year's Eve

Daniel Levy, 48, pleaded guilty to murdering Abdul Kaleem Shaik, 41, in a Vauxhall flat on New Year's Eve. Levy handed himself in to Bishopsgate police station on January 1, confessing to the killing and stating he believed he was securing Mr Shaik's passage to heaven due to his deteriorating mental health.

Previous Conviction

It can now be reported that Levy has a previous conviction for killing his grandmother by stabbing and setting her on fire in July 2000. He was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order in 2001 for manslaughter by diminished responsibility and arson.

The court heard that Levy had previously absconded from a secure mental health unit in 2003 and was recalled to hospital in 2013 after expressing thoughts of harming his parents. Following his release, he was required to maintain contact with his mental health team.

The Killing

Prosecutor Peter Ratliff told an earlier hearing that Levy had stabbed Mr Shaik in the neck with a large knife at his flat. Levy told police in interview that he had known Mr Shaik for years and allowed him to stay in his flat. He stated that Mr Shaik had become very depressed and was not coping well.

Levy described how he had been considering and trying to kill Mr Shaik for some time. In the early hours of January 1, he carried out his plan. He said he could hear Mr Shaik dying but did not want to watch, so he went to the mosque to pray, had a massage, and showered before going to the police station.

Officers found the body of Mr Shaik on a makeshift bed with a stab wound and blood present. A bloody knife was recovered from the property. CCTV footage confirmed that only Levy and Mr Shaik were at the flat on the evening of December 31.

Plea and Sentencing

Levy changed his plea to guilty as his trial was about to begin. Defence barrister Michael Holland KC asked for credit for the late plea, noting Levy had never denied the killing. Judge Lynn Tayton KC questioned Levy to ensure he was fit to enter his plea.

Levy stated he did not want to go to trial and wished to go as quietly as possible. Judge Tayton remanded Levy into custody. He is due to be sentenced on September 9, 2026.