In a significant ruling today, Munawar Hussain, 60, from Lancashire, has been sentenced to an indefinite hospital order under the Mental Health Act following his involvement in two separate knife attacks that left three victims with serious injuries. The sentencing was the culmination of an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing North West (CTPNW).
Hussain has been given a Section 37 Hospital Order and will be detained at a secure mental health hospital in Merseyside. The judge also imposed restrictions under Section 41 of the Mental Health Act 1983, which means Hussain can only be discharged by the Secretary of State for Justice or the Mental Health Tribunal, underscoring the severity of the threat he poses to public safety.
The first of the attacks occurred on December 2, 2020, when Hussain entered the Marks and Spencer store on St James Street in Burnley and launched an unprovoked knife attack on the store manager and a customer. Both victims sustained serious injuries that required extensive medical treatment. The swift actions of store security and courageous members of the public prevented further harm, as they managed to apprehend Hussain before police arrived on the scene.
During his arrest, Hussain claimed that he targeted Marks and Spencer because he believed the company funded Israel’s persecution of Palestinians in the Middle East. He was subsequently remanded and detained under the Mental Health Act.
While awaiting sentencing for the 2020 attack, Hussain was remanded to a secure mental health hospital in Lancashire. On June 26, 2023, he attempted to murder a male nurse at the facility by trying to stab him with a kitchen knife. Hussain later pleaded guilty to this offence during a court hearing at Manchester Crown Court on June 6, 2023.
In March 2023, Hussain was found guilty of one count of attempted murder and one count of a Section 18 assault in relation to the Burnley incident. His sentencing today brings closure to a series of violent acts that have had a profound impact on the victims.
Chief Superintendent Sarah Kenwright of CTPNW commented on the case, saying, “These incidents are deeply disturbing and traumatizing for all the victims. We have supported them, and they have been at the forefront of our minds throughout the investigation and the subsequent trial. No one should go to their place of work or out shopping and fear for their lives. Sadly, this has been a reality for three people, who have undoubtedly had their lives changed, both physically and mentally, by Hussain’s actions.”
Kenwright added, “Our subsequent investigation, and ultimately today’s sentencing, means that Hussain will remain in a safe place for him to get the treatment he needs, and that the public is safe from the threat that he clearly posed that day.”
Authorities continue to urge the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity. “Every year, thousands of reports from the public help police tackle the terrorist threat. If you see or hear something that doesn’t seem right, trust your instinct and ACT. Reporting won’t ruin lives, but it could save them,” Kenwright emphasized.
In case of an emergency, people are advised to dial 999 or make a report online via the Action Counters Terrorism website at https://act.campaign.gov.uk/.
