Woman Who Claimed to be Princess Diana's Secret Daughter Confesses to Manslaughter and Animal Cruelty

Strategic Insights -

The Old Bailey heard on Thursday that Habiba Naveed, 35, who believed she was the secret daughter of Princess Diana, had brutally killed her friend and landlord, 72-year-old Christopher Brown, in a psychotic episode. Naveed had also confessed to causing unnecessary suffering to her landlord's cat, Snow, by stabbing him in the neck. A court ordered a hospital order under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act and a restriction order under Section 41, meaning Naveed can be detained indefinitely.

Key Takeaways:

  • Habiba Naveed, 35, confessed to killing her friend and landlord, 72-year-old Christopher Brown, in a psychotic episode.
  • Naveed believed she was the secret daughter of Princess Diana and had a history of mental health issues, including paranoid schizophrenia.
  • Naveed had no insight into her mental health diagnosis or symptoms, and had stopped taking her prescribed medication for a year before the fatal attack.
  • She was a regular cannabis user, which worsened her condition but did not trigger her psychosis.
  • Naveed was convicted of manslaughter and animal cruelty, and was sentenced to a hospital order and restriction order.
  • The court heard that Naveed's family were concerned about her mental health in the days leading up to the attack and had called 111 and an ambulance.
  • Sentencing, Judge Sarah Munro KC noted that Naveed had a clean criminal record, but that her use of strangulation and a weapon were aggravating factors.
  • A post-mortem examination revealed that Mr Brown died from blunt force trauma.

Statistics:

  • Age of Christopher Brown at the time of his death: 72
  • Age of Habiba Naveed at the time of the attack: 35
  • Time of the attack: approx. 11pm to 11.50pm on August 14
  • Time Snow, the cat, was stabbed in the neck: on or before August 15
  • Number of years Naveed and Mr Brown had lived together at Polsted Road: several years
  • Number of times Naveed's family called 111 and an ambulance before the attack: 1
  • Number of people Naveed had previously attacked during hospital stays: several (exact number not specified)
  • Number of psychiarists who diagnosed Naveed with paranoid schizophrenia: 2

Sources:

  • "Woman who claimed to be Princess Diana's 'secret daughter' confesses to manslaughter and animal cruelty" - [RoyalCentral.co.uk](https://www.royalcentral.co.uk/indepth/princess-diana/habiba-naveed-princess-diana-secret-daughter-1155634)
  • "Habiba Naveed 'sent to eliminate evil from the world' as she confesses to manslaughter" - [The Telegraph](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/02/16/habiba-naveed-sent-eliminate-evil-world-confesses-manslaughter/)
  • "Princess Diana's 'secret daughter' charged with murder" - [The Mirror](https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/princess-dianas-secret-daughter-charged-13177064)