Trans woman stabbed on her own doorstep in ‘horrific’ Birmingham hate crime
A police officer stands in Birmingham. (PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
A trans woman was stabbed on her own doorstep in a “horrific” hate crime in Birmingham, England.
The 33-year-old woman was the victim of a shocking premeditated attack carried out by a man she had connected with online earlier that same day on 30 November, 2020.
They arranged to meet that evening, but when she opened her front door the assailant stabbed her in the stomach and leg without saying a word.
The victim suffered serious injuries and was rushed from her Birmingham city centre home to a hospital to undergo emergency surgery, police said.
Nazir Mohammed, 22, of Newbold Croft, Nechells, admitted at a Birmingham Crown Court hearing on 20 September to wounding with intent.
He fled the scene but called 999 himself only minutes after the incident, admitting to the stabbing. Authorities arrested him in Beak Street, off Suffolk Street Queensway.
Local surveillance footage showed him throwing a six-inch knife down a drain, which police later linked to him through forensic tests.
Mohammed was handed an indefinite hospital order, meaning will be sent to a hospital instead of prison for at least six months.
The brazen and brutal nature of the attack left police stunned. It came at around the same time research found four out of five trans people have been a victim of a hate crime.
The victim had come to Britain from Poland to find greater acceptance and community.
Police commended her for her “bravery” in reporting the attack.
“This was a targeted hate crime against a member of the LGBT+ community and against someone who had, in fact, to come to the UK to escape intolerance,” detective constable Paul Brogan said in a statement.
“It must have been truly horrifying for her to open the door to someone and then, without a word, be stabbed.
“But she has had the strength and bravery to tell us exactly what happened, and helped us bring Mohammed before the courts resulting in him now receiving the help he needs.”
British police are investigating seven transphobic offences a day after hate crime reports quadrupled over five years – a 354 per cent increase, per figures from the Home Office.
Sasha Misra, associate director of communications and campaigns at Stonewall told PinkNews that the hate crime surge “coincides with an uptick in anti-trans sentiment online and in the media”.
“Journalists, commentators and outlets all have a part to play in creating an environment where trans people are treated with respect and making the UK a safe place for trans people to live their lives,” she said.
Misra added: “It is horrifying that a trans woman was attacked on her own doorstep in a targeted hate crime.
“As we reflect on the violence and threats that women face merely for existing, we all need to do more to ensure that women, including trans women, are safe and can live free from fear.”
