Man Charged with Murder over Birmingham Stabbings

By Tony Winterburn • Published: 09 Sep 2020 • 5:50

POLICE in Birmingham have charged a 27-year-old man with murder, and seven counts of attempted murder, after a series of stabbings across Birmingham city centre.

West Midlands Police said that Zephaniah McLeod of Nately Grove, Selly Oak, is due in court on Wednesday. Jacob Billington, 23, was killed and seven others injured at four separate locations over a period of around 90 minutes on Sunday morning. Mr Billington, from Crosby, Merseyside, was stabbed in Irving Street while enjoying a night out with friends.

Three people are still in hospital after the city centre attack, including Mr Billington’s friend, Michael Callaghan, who is in a critical condition. A 22-year-old woman, attacked in Hurst Street, is critical but stable, and a 30-year-old man remains in a serious condition. The other four victims of the attack have now been discharged. Tributes have been paid to Mr Billington from the university he worked and studied at, which said it was “deeply saddened” to hear the news.