A paranoid schizophrenic who bludgeoned his sister-in-law to death with a coffee table because he believed she had put a “curse” on him has pleaded guilty to manslaughter 12 years on.

Javid Akhtar, 52, admitting killing his brother’s wife, 47-year-old Mahfooz Begum, at Bradford Crown Court yesterday, after psychiatrists decided he was fit to enter a plea for the first time since the brutal attack in 2000.

Sophie Drake, prosecuting, told the court Akhtar battered the mum-of-five over the head at her home on Byron Street, Barkerend, because he believed she was “poisoning” him. Akhtar, who has since changed his name by deed poll to Raja Mohammed Javad, denied murder but admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

The court heard doctors believe he was suffering from the effects of a serious paranoid schizophrenic mental illness at the time of the offence and he continues to receive treatment.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC sentenced him to Section 37 hospital order with a Section 41 restriction to protect the public from serious harm, but said if he had not been suffering from mental illness he would be facing life in prison.

Miss Drake told the court Akhtar visited the four-storey house his brother Mushtaq Hussain shared with Mrs Begum and four of their adult children at 7.20am on September 6, 2000.

A short time later, Mr Hussain, who was in an upstairs room, heard his wife scream out in Punjabi: “What are you doing? You are killing me”.

Miss Drake said Akhtar and his brother’s wife were in the basement where he picked up a coffee table and struck her over the head. She said: “The table shattered and he armed himself with two of the table legs and continued to strike her about the head.”

Mrs Begum was left with serious head injuries and died at Leeds General Infirmary two days later.

When Akhtar was interviewed by police he admitted causing Mrs Begum’s injuries, but said she had put a “curse” on him.

The court was told Akhtar’s behaviour had “changed” after a car crash in 1999 and he had bought a small axe, which he said he would use to “kill” his doctor for failing to give him the correct medication, as well as his solicitor.

In 2001, Akhtar was ordered to be detained without restriction of time at Newton Lodge secure unit in Wakefield, after a jury at Bradford Crown Court decided he had carried out “a deliberate and unlawful” attack on his relative.

The same week a separate jury found he was not fit to enter a plea to the charge.

The court heard he will now return to Moorland View in Bradford, where had has been receiving treatment.