University of Sheffield student who killed stepfather given indefinite hospital order

A University of Sheffield student has been given an indefinite hospital order after he stabbed his stepfather to death in 2022.

Benjamin Moglione, 23, killed retired police officer Andrew McDiarmid as he lay in his bed fighting Covid at their home in the Wirral on January 24th 2022, the Shropshire Star reports.

Moglione pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility during his trial earlier this year.

Liverpool Crown Court heard from consultant psychiatrist Dr Stephen Owens that Moglione was in a “severe state of psychosis” when he was admitted to a secure hospital following his arrest.

The court was told how CCTV taken from inside the family home showed a brief verbal exchange between the killer and his victim before the attack began.

Moglione walked into the room where his stepfather lay and asked if he was alright.

The former detective replied: “yeah, are you” to which Moglione said: “not really”, the court heard.

Screaming and shouting could then be heard as Moglione attacked his stepfather.

Moglione’s mother, Alison Moglione, was in the shower at the time of the attack. While she was showering, Moglione came into the bathroom and washed his hands, telling her not to call the police.

She rang 999, telling them: “I think he’s killed my husband.”

Sentencing, Judge Andrew Menary said: “You brutally attacked and killed your stepfather while he was resting in bed, while suffering and recovering from the effects of Covid.”

“There was no warning to this attack and nothing happened to provoke it.”

Judge Menary said that the sentence of a hospital order provided the best protection for the public.

He added: “There is no sentence I can pass that can begin to equate in any sense with the loss that has been suffered.”

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