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A paranoid schizophrenic who stabbed eight people during a 90-minute knife rampage in Birmingham has today admitted killing a Sheffield Hallam graduate and wounding seven.

Zephaniah McLeod, 27, had already pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Jacob Billington, 23, on the grounds of diminished responsibility, but has now admitted four charges of attempted murder and three of wounding with intent in a series of knifings on September 6 last year.   

The defendant, who appeared in court over a video link from Ashworth Hospital wearing a white T-shirt and dark blue zip-up top, spoke to confirm his name and say he understood proceedings, before entering pleas. 

University worker Mr Billington, from Crosby, Merseyside, died from a wound to the neck on his way back to a hotel after enjoying a night out while visiting a friend who was studying in the city.  

The seven other people McLeod stabbed were Dimitar Bachvarov, Migle Dolobauskaite, Thomas Glassey, Michael Callaghan, Shane Rowley, Rhys Cummings and Ryan Bowers.

Mr Billington's family were present in Birmingham Crown Court and over the video-link to hear the pleas of McLeod, whom the court heard suffered with paranoid schizophrenia. 

Prosecuting, Peter Grieves-Smith QC said McLeod, of Selly Oak, had carried out 'totally unprovoked' attacks on members of the public and had stabbed the first three victims in 'quick succession'. 

Zephaniah McLeod had already pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Jacob Billington on the grounds of diminished responsibility, but has now admitted four charges of attempted murder and three of wounding with intent in a series of knifings on September 6 last year. Left, handout photo. Right, court artist sketch

University worker Mr Billington, from Crosby, Merseyside, died from a wound to the neck on his way back to a hotel after enjoying a night out while visiting a friend who was studying in the city 

Forensic officers cross a cordon on Hurst Walk near the Arcadia Centre, where part of the attack took place

Prosecutor Karim Khalil QC told the court the guilty and not guilty pleas were acceptable to the prosecution. The barrister told the brief hearing: 'Those pleas were entered as anticipated... they are pleas which the Crown accepts in this case.'

Explaining the decision, Mr Khalil added: 'The psychiatrists instructed by both the Crown and the defence concluded in agreement with one another that the defendant clearly suffered from a condition of paranoid schizophrenia at the time of the material events.

'It was unquestionably a condition which affected his ability to understand all that was going on.'

Mr Khalil said consultations had taken place prior to the decision, with victims and their parents in the case of Mr Billington. After the pleas were entered and accepted, the Recorder of Birmingham, Judge Melbourne Inman QC, said of the stabbings: 'There are many people touched and affected by the case.

'The hearing this morning may appear to be disproportionately short given the very grave seriousness of the case. But it's quite clear that the Crown and the defence have given very careful expert consideration of the evidence.'

The defendant, who appeared in court over a video link from Ashworth Hospital wearing a white T-shirt and dark blue zip-up top, spoke to confirm his name and say he understood proceedings, before entering pleas 

Police had issued CCTV images of a man wanted in connection with a series of stabbings

The judge added that it was important that the psychiatrists involved in assessing McLeod were now given time to help the court determine the proper sentence on him.

McLeod had approached his first victim, Dimitar Bachvarov, in Constitution Hill, and asked for a cigarette before stabbing him in the neck with a knife and running off. About 20 minutes later in Livery Street, Migle Dolobauskaite was stabbed to the left side of the neck and shoulder by McLeod. 

Thomas Glassey was in Barwick Street when he was stabbed twice by McLeod and left in a critical condition. Mr Grieves-Smith said the knife the defendant used was later found in a drain nearby. 

McLeod then went to a pizza shop and tried to get another knife. When his request for a knife was refused, he got a taxi back to his home and armed himself with another knife before going out again to look for more victims. 

He then stabbed Mr Billington and Michael Callaghan who were with a group of friends who had returned to a hotel after a night out. A post-mortem examination concluded that Mr Billington died as a result of a neck wound.

McLeod will be sentenced on September 27 and 28.