Absar Hussain
August 15, 2000
London, England

Life jail for cabbie's murderer
The Mirror
London, England
Feb 1, 2003

By DAVID PILDITCH

A DRUG user who claimed voices in his head made him murder a taxi driver
over a pounds 20 fare was jailed for life yesterday.

Martin Otto, 44, was high on crack when he stabbed mini cab driver Absar
Hussain 14 times, a court heard.

Otto claimed he was possessed by a character called Fritz who told him to
stab Mr Hussain, 30.

Otto was treated for mental illness four years ago after stabbing a man
with a samurai sword, the Old Bailey heard.

He had just finished his treatment when he killed Mr Hussain in August
2000.

The jury convicted Otto, of Marylebone, London, of murder, His plea of
manslaughter due to diminished responsibility through mental illness was
rejected.

Judge Paul Focke QC said: "This was a vicious attack against a background
of drugs upon an unarmed victim."

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