Horror moment ‘possessed’ Afghan refugee tasered after stabbing dog walker | UK | News

Footage has been released showing the moment an Uber driver and Afghan refugee were shocked and detained after a dog walker was killed in an allegedly “vicious and brutal” knife attack. Dawood Safi, 28, is alleged to have attacked Wayne Broadhurst, 49, during what was reported to be a “random stabbing attack” at Midhurst Gardens in Uxbridge on October 27 last year.

Mr Broadhurst suffered 14 stab wounds to his head, neck, chest and back, while an eyewitness described the violence as “butchery”. While Safi was reportedly suffering from psychosis at the time, another eyewitness recalled that he appeared “possessed” during the attack. He later admitted manslaughter in connection with Mr Broadhurst’s death and was later found guilty of the attempted murder of his landlord. Newly released police body camera video shows officers arriving at the scene and advancing towards Safi, who was holding a knife, before exiting their vehicle. The police repeatedly order him to “drop the knife” and “get down on the ground”, but he does not comply and moves away from the approaching officers.

The officers order Safi to drop the knife before deploying the stun gun, causing Safi to fall to the ground. The police then turn him around, search him, and handcuff him to safety.

The footage then shows the same sequence of events from another angle, captured by a security camera at a nearby property.

Southwark Crown Court heard Safi’s landlord, Mr Farrukh, 45, suffered a stab wound to the neck. While his neighbors and passing citizens tried to intervene and stop Safi, he and an injured young man managed to escape.

Prosecutor Jonathan Laidlaw KC told the court that Mr Broadhurst had the “terrible misfortune” of passing the scene with his dog Harry while the attack was in progress and was attacked for no apparent reason.

Jurors also heard Safi arrived in the UK in 2020 hiding in the back of a lorry and falsely claiming to be 17. He was later granted asylum in 2022.

Safi told a psychiatrist that when she was 10, she saw her father killed during a land dispute in Afghanistan. Prosecutor Jonathan Laidlaw KC said Safi was suffering a “breakdown in mental health” when the stabbings occurred in Uxbridge.

Mr Laidlaw said: “The defendant was hearing voices; he was consumed by paranoia and delusional beliefs, including that people in general in this country and members of his family were both controlling him and conspiring against him.”

During the three days before the attacks on October 27, 2025, Safi had visited his GP for an appointment, had a mental health assessment at Hillingdon Hospital and sought help at Hayes Police Station.

Shortly before 4.45pm on October 27, Mr Farrukh went to the kitchen at his home, where he saw Safi’s silhouette on the other side of the glass door connecting to the annexe.

After opening the door, the 45-year-old man found Safi standing just a few feet away and holding a large kitchen knife.

Mr Laidlaw said: “He launched an unannounced attack on Mr Farrukh, who was unarmed and was caught completely unaware.”

At the time of the stabbing, Safi made statements indicating that he was angry because Mr Farrukh had not gone to the police station with him earlier in the day.

The violence eventually spilled into the street, where shouting alerted neighbors who came to see what was happening. Daniella Jarvis, who witnessed the incident, later told police Safi appeared “possessed.”

Mr Broadhurst, a Liverpool FC fan who works as a street sweeper for Ealing Council, came across the incident after emerging from an alley in Midhurst Gardens.

Mr Laidlaw said: “He was stabbed to death in a frenzied, random and completely unprovoked attack for no apparent reason, logical or otherwise.” He added: “Mr Broadhurst died in the street with the dog by his side.”

Southwark Crown Court heard Mr Broadhurst’s family wanted Safi to be convicted of murder. However, after prosecutors considered evidence about Safi’s mental health at the time, he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Safi admitted manslaughter, actual bodily harm, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon. He was also found guilty of attempted murder.

Jurors were unable to reach a verdict on another charge, alleging that Safi attempted to kill a 14-year-old boy during a stabbing attack. Mr Laidlaw told the court the Crown Prosecution Service had decided not to pursue a retrial on that charge.

The judge adjourned proceedings ahead of Safi’s sentencing on October 5 and ordered him to undergo medical evaluations in the meantime.