A Birmingham man has today (Wednesday 5 August) been sentenced to an indefinite hospital order after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
Dean Bayliss, a 52-year-old father of a son and three step-daughters, was killed on 13 June last year at the shared accommodation he was staying at in Oxhill Road, Handsworth.
Hardeep Bhachu, aged 36, was arrested the same day and charged with the murder of Mr Bayliss.
Mr Bayliss was found dead in his room by a care worker. A post mortem examination revealed he died of multiple stabs injuries.
On 15 November last year, Bhachu entered a guilty plea to the manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility due to ongoing issues with his mental health.
It’s thought Bhachu suffered with his mental health and other residents in the shared accommodation stated he’d been behaving strangely for several days before he stabbed Mr Bayliss.
Mr Bayliss’ son, Lewis, described his dad as “a kind and thoughtful man who would have done absolutely anything for anyone”.
In a victim impact statement, Lewis said: “I feel angry hurt and devastated all at once.
“The amount of pain it’s caused it excruciating. The day of his funeral was a blur. I was not prepared to say goodbye, the time had come far too soon and in unforgettable circumstances.
“I constantly have nightmares of him being attacked and blaming myself, that I wasn’t there to help him or hold him as he died.
“He died alone, no one should leave the world like in those circumstances at the hands of someone else.”
Zoe Roberts, Mr Bayliss’ ex-wife, said: “Our lives were turned upside down. Dean was a loving step-father to my three daughters, Molly, Phoebe and April and raised them as his own. They called him dad and he was always there for them. Sadly we divorced in 2016 but we remained close friends and he remained a close part of our family.
“His death has taken so much away from us. Losing Dean in such a violent senseless way has literally broken our hearts.”
Detective Inspector Nick Barnes from our homicide team said: “Mr Bayliss died in simply tragic circumstances.
“My heartfelt sympathies are with his family as they try and come to terms with their loss.”