Newbury Park father admits killing his two young children in lockdown knife attack

Police attending the scene in Aldborough Road North, Newbury Park where the children were stabbed to death. Picture: PA/Dominic Lipinski (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Nadarajah Nithiyakumar, 41, attacked his 19-month-old daughter Pavinya and three-year-old son Nigash at the family home in Aldborough Road North, Newbury Park, on April 26.

The children’s mother, named locally as Nisa, was in the shower at the time of the killings and alerted police.

Pavinya was pronounced dead at the scene while Nigash was rushed to hospital where he also died.

Their father was taken to hospital for treatment for knife wounds.

Upon being discharged, the shop worker was charged with murdering the children.

In a police interview, Nithiyakumar accepted he had killed his daughter and son with a knife.

He said he had been depressed and while working in a shop, customers had “upset him”.

He had thought about killing himself, but considered it would “ruin the children’s lives and they would go off the rails”, a court previously heard.

On Thursday, November 5 he appeared before Mrs Justice Cutts at the Old Bailey.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter by diminished responsibility, which was accepted by the prosecution.

The children’s mother wept in court.

She was supported by her sister, who was also tearful, and assisted by a Tamil interpreter.

Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson QC told the court: “It is clear from the unanimous opinion of very experienced psychiatrists that this defendant was at the time of these offences suffering from a delusional disorder.

“It was one from which he had suffered for some time, for the best part of 10 years. with very little indication and very little treatment.”

The prosecutor said one expert considered it “remarkable he was able to function for as long as he did”.

Mr Atkinson added: “It was clear it was that disorder that led him to kill his children.”

The court heard Nithiyakumar has no previous history of violence.

There is no other explanation for his behaviour “other than that which he accepted he did”, the lawyer said.

Mr Atkinson said: “In those circumstances the Crown took the view it is appropriate to accept the plea of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.”

He asked the murder charges be left on the court file.

Mrs Justice Cutts agreed and adjourned sentencing until December 10.

She said she will consider a hospital order and whether Nithiyakumar poses a danger to the public.

The judge told Nithiyakumar: “I’m not going to sentence you today. I need further information from the doctors and to hear from them evidence in person before I can decide what the appropriate sentence should be.”

Nithiyakumar was sent back to the medium secure mental health centre in east London where he has been treated.