Killer Zephaniah McLeod to be sentenced for stabbing Sheffield man on night out

Zephaniah McLeod, a paranoid schizophrenic, stabbed eight people during a 90-minute knife rampage in Birmingham in September 2020.

He killed 23-year-old Jacob Billington, a former Sheffield Hallam University student who was working as an intern there after graduating, and attacked seven others.

The 27-year-old has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Jacob on the grounds of diminished responsibility and admitted four charges of attempted murder and three of wounding with intent.

He is to be sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court in a hearing which starts this morning and is due to last two days.

His victim Jacob, originally from Liverpool, was a former geography student at Sheffield Hallam University and returned to work there after his degree.

He was in Birmingham on a night out with friends when the group was approached by McLeod who then subjected the pals to an unprovoked attack.

After Jacob’s death, his family said in a statement: “Jacob was the light of our life and we have been devastated by his loss.”

Sheffield Hallam University said at the time: “Jacob was a Sheffield Hallam graduate and had joined the library as a graduate intern, where his warmth and enthusiasm made him a greatly valued member of our team.”

Former Sheffield Hallam University graduate, Michael Callaghan, was also injured during the knife attack and underwent emergency surgery to save his life.

He and Jacob were childhood friends.