Company director admits trying to stab heavily pregnant woman and her unborn child to death
Babur Karamat Raja pleads guilty to repeatedly stabbing mum-to-be
A MAN has admitted attempting to murder a pregnant woman who was repeatedly stabbed in a violent street attack.
Babur Karamat Raja, from Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, stabbed the victim in the chest and attempted to cut her throat before being detained by brave passerbys.
He pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted child destruction, possession of a knife in public, and the wounding and assault of two passers-by.
Miraculously, the mum-to-be gave birth to a healthy baby girl by by caesarean section just hours after suffering stab wounds to both her stomach and arm.
Today the Crown Prosecution Service described the attack as "completely unjustified and unprovoked".
Emily Lenham, senior crown prosecutor from West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service, said in a statement: "Babur Raja committed one of the worst acts of violence conceivable.
"But for the brave intervention of members of the public, who put their own lives at risk, the consequences of this incident could have been even more serious than they actually were.
"These events have had a significant impact on the victims and witnesses both physically and psychologically. I hope these convictions will in some way help them to come to terms with the horrifying events."
The 41-year-old failed to react as his lawyer passed on his apologies for the offences.
Instead the company director made made notes with a pen during proceedings.
He was appearing at Birmingham Crown Court by videolink.
Raja's victim, who cannot be identified because of a court order, was in court and broke down in tears as he entered his guilty pleas.
She was days away from giving birth when she was brutally attacked in daylight outside a church.
Incredibly, her life was saved by five strangers - including a prison guard - who detained the suspect until help arrived.
Today's 40-minute hearing was told the sentencing judge will be required to consider whether Raja's level of dangerousness should merit a life sentence.
Police arrested the company director in March in the Trinity Hill area of Sutton Coldfield after the woman suffered multiple wounds to her abdomen.
Prosecutor Benjamin Aina QC said the Crown did not wish to proceed on a further count of attempted murder against Raja relating to an attack on by-stander John Mitchell.
Mr Aina told the court: "John Mitchell was one of the brave members of the public who went to the aid of this lady whilst she was being attacked."
Although Raja had attacked Mr Mitchell with a knife, he didn't believe he had intended to kill him, the court heard.
Defence counsel Jane Humphryes QC notified the court that the defence intended to submit a psychiatric report prior to sentence.
Raja has no previous convictions for violence, the court heard, but was once cautioned for an offence of dishonesty.
Ms Humphryes told the court: "It's our application that there ought to be a pre-sentence report as to whether this ought to be a life sentence, as opposed to a determinate sentence.
"He would like to say to the court his sincere apologies - he wishes to express his very sincere remorse and perhaps that is displayed by his early guilty pleas."
Raja will be sentenced in June.
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