Father killed child 'in a frenzy'

Alberto Izaga saw a horror film days before attacking his daughter

A City high flyer who repeatedly smashed his two-year-old daughter's head on the ground has been found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity.

Alberto Izaga, 36, was "in a frenzy" and suffering acute mental illness when he attacked his daughter Yanire on 3 June last year at their £1m home.

She died two days later in hospital from multiple skull fractures.

An Old Bailey judge sent Izaga, from Albert Embankment in central London, to a mental hospital indefinitely.

Judge Richard Hone described it as an "exceptional case".

Mr Izaga, a Spanish national, was suspended from his position at the insurance firm Swiss Re after his daughter's death.

'Frenzied' attack

The court heard Mr Izaga saw the horror film Bug, in which a couple are driven mad by bugs under the skin, during a holiday in the US.

Soon after he attended a motivational talk at a conference in Geneva and was affected by a motivational talk by an adventurer.

On his return to his £1m London flat on 2 June he complained of exhaustion and insomnia.

He woke up in the early hours of 3 June and ranted for two hours about God and sects before suddenly attacking his daughter.

He killed his daughter in a frenzy Jonathan Rees, prosecution

Mr Izaga's wife, Ligia, tried to stop the attack. She had heard him say: "I know what I have to do. I have to kill her."

Jonathan Rees, prosecuting said Yanire had suffered multiple skull fractures consistent with having her head "repeatedly smashed on the floor".

Mr Izaga, was arrested and taken to a psychiatric unit after the attack, the court heard.

Doctors there said he was suffering "from an episode of acute mental illness which had a rapid onset".

Mr Rees said Mr Izaga was "totally devoted" to Yanire and he had later described her as "the most precious person on earth".

"He killed his daughter in a frenzy," Mr Rees said.

'Big Ben' chant

The court heard that part of the attack was recorded on a neighbour's voicemail as Mrs Izaga rang friends for help.

Mr Izaga could be heard shouting in English and Spanish.

In a scene no-one could possibly have predicted, Mr Izaga attacked his daughter so badly she did not recover Det Insp Colin Burgess

He screamed: "I just want to sleep... God does not exist, the universe does not exist, humanity does not exist."

The court heard when police and paramedics arrived he kept chanting "Big Ben, Big Ben".

When Mr Izaga was questioned by police he said he had no recollection of the attack.

Two doctors told the court that Mr Izaga was suffering from schizophrenia or an "acute psychotic disorder" at the time of the attack.