Misfit who lusted after neighbour

An Oxford student has admitted killing a promising young fashion designer. William Jaggs has been sent to Broadmoor mental hospital after admitting the manslaughter of Lucy Braham.

I am going to see a shrink today. As you know, I am a psychopath William Jaggs to a friend Oxford student admits killing Family victim impact statement

The 25-year-old fashion student lay motionless on the floor in a pool of blood. Next to her was William Jaggs, yelling incomprehensibly.

When he caught sight of the officers he began stabbing himself wildly in the chest - up to 20 times.

His injuries were so severe he fell into a coma and detectives were unable to interview him for several days.

His chest was still covered with bandages when he appeared in court - heavily sedated - almost two weeks later.

Close families

Jaggs knew Miss Braham only in passing although their fathers were close colleagues at Harrow, where they were both schoolmasters.

Lucy Braham was described as a "ray of sunshine"

Jaggs' father Alan was head of design and technology, while Miss Braham's father Jason was director of art.

Jaggs had gone on to study English Literature at Oriel College, Oxford but took time off after his second year.

He had been using his parents' bank cards to buy drugs and was also stealing items to sell from Harrow School.

On 14 September last year, he was seen trying to sell a kitten near his home.

He called at Mr Braham's home, where the door was answered by his daughter.

Miss Braham said she would take the kitten but later went to his home to say she had changed her mind.

Jaggs said he returned to Miss Braham's house with the kitten, hoping to use the pet as a ruse to persuade her to invite him in.

Harrow School is one of the country's top public schools

As he walked around her house with the animal, the thought of having sex with her became "predominant" in his mind, the court heard.

Aftab Jafferjee, prosecuting, said: "He tried to kiss her and she broke away. He then claims he heard a voice saying he should be a man."

Jaggs tried to undress Miss Braham, but after she resisted he used a pair of scissors to cut off her clothes.

He took a knife from the dishwasher and decided to cut her on the arm for, he claimed, erotic purposes.

Jaggs claimed that once he and Miss Braham were both naked, she said to him: "Stop hesitating and do it".

Mr Jafferjee said: "He presumed this meant he should get on and stab her.

"He said he believed stabbing or killing her would be the same as having sex with her."

Jaggs told psychiatrists he believed if Miss Braham died she would go to a different world and he could be with her.

Paranoid delusions

The court heard Jaggs' behaviour had been affected by his drug taking, which included cocaine and LSD.

He sent a girlfriend a text message saying "I am going to see a shrink today. As you know, I am a psychopath."

Lucy Braham planned to start her own fashion range

He had told another girl he was in a relationship with at Oxford that he wanted to have sex with her while she was tied up.

Jaggs also emailed a teacher to say he was hearing voices and having hallucinations, including thinking he could hear his friends having sex.

He had also hallucinated about killing a friend Simon McPherson.

Jaggs later told a psychiatrist shortly before killing Miss Braham, he had taken his father's chainsaw to kill Mr McPherson but had not found him at home.