‘Yes I stabbed them. But I was hypnotised’

A Turkish pensioner who stabbed four women in a Sainsbury’s car park explained to police he was ‘hypnotised’ at the time.

Ethem Orhon, 66, went on the rampage outside the store in Hampton, southwest London, a day after he was arrested for alleged drugs possession, jurors heard.

Mother of two Janet Morsy, 62, was left fighting for her life in hospital after she was stabbed a dozen times in the bloodbath, Kingston Crown Court heard.

Suzanna Brand, Jean Sullivan, and Charandasi Chandiramani, were also badly injured.

In police interviews Orhon said: ‘These are innocent people.

‘I don’t dispute that.

‘I was not myself, I was just stabbing and stabbing.

‘I never wanted to hurt anybody.

‘I was like hypnotised, I was not in my own control.

‘It was like I was under the control of someone else, I didn’t intend to kill anyone.

‘I went to get the knife but not with the intention to kill.’

Orhon had been arrested the day before the attack on suspicion of drugs possession in Kensington.

He was also found with a ‘Leatherman’ knife, kept overnight and bailed the next morning to attend court at a later date.

Orhon told police he had been ‘tortured’ while in police custody the night before.

He said: ‘They left me completely naked and they were teasing me.

‘They didn’t give me a blanket, they didn’t give me my underwear.

‘I’ve never felt so humiliated, it was ten hours.

‘I asked for my solicitor but they were not coming.

‘They were torturing me.’

Orhon had told police he was an ‘alone person’ who liked to ‘go to libraries.’

‘I play chess.’I like to read books about hypnosis,’ he added.

‘I know a lot about the hypnotised.’

Orhon had told the interviewer the knife was not a weapon, but a ‘useful tool.’

He said: ‘I often take it with me.

‘I went to Scotland last month for a camping holiday with it.’

Orhon confirmed he had stabbed the women.

He said: ‘Yes I did it.

‘I don’t accept any intention to kill.

‘It’s like when you are hypnotised and under someone else’s control.’

Ms Morsy told jurors she had been attacked after pleading ‘Don’t do it please.’

She had said: ‘He swung his arm back to get a good swing, I put my arm up and he stabbed me in the ribcage.

Jurors were shown a video interview with Ms Brand, 54, who described being stabbed in the back, chest, arm and leg.

Ms Chandiramani had also given evidence, telling jurors she was attacked after seeing Orhon attacking another woman.

She said:’I did not know he had a knife, I thought he was punching or hitting her.

‘He came after me and he stabbed me twice in the back.

The court had then heard a written statement from a schoolboy who distracted Orhon while he attacked the women.

He said: ‘He looks bat-s*** f***ing mental.

‘As he gets close, about five metres away he pulls a knife from out behind his back.

‘He holds it out towards us sideways.’

‘We went to the bus stop and he was following us.

The court had heard Orhon came to the UK from Turkey in 1989, and had lived in a council property for 14 years, a property that was only minutes away from the supermarket.

Police later searched Orhon’s home and found a Tube guide with the words ‘murder at green lights’ written in pen, a newspaper cutting about a terrorist attack and brochures advertising Leatherman knives.

Mr Jonathan Polnay, prosecuting, had told jurors Orhon does not dispute the stabbings.

He added: ‘He said he regretted it now but was not under his own control.

Orhon, who lives in Deacons Walk, Hampton, denies two counts of attempted murder, and two counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The trial continues.