Father who mowed down knife attacker in Maida Vale says it was his ‘duty’ to act

The man, who reportedly gave his name as Abraham, 26, was originally arrested on suspicion of murder,

The man was reportedly arrested on suspicion of murder (Aaron Chown/PA) (PA Wire)

A father who was released without charge after ploughing his car into a knife attacker to stop him killing a mother-of-two has said it was his “duty” to act.

Abraham, 26, who was originally arrested on suspicion of murder, said he prayed for God’s forgiveness following the incident in Maida Vale west London.

Yasmin Chkaifi, 43, died on January 24 when she was ambushed in the street by her ex-husband Leon McCaskie, who also used the surname McCaskre, and was stabbed several times.

A number of witnesses tried unsuccessfully to stop McCaskie, before Abraham ran him over in a blue Renault McCaskie was pronounced dead at the scene.

Yasmin Chkaifi, 43, died on January 24 when she was ambushed in the street by her ex-husband Leon McCaskie (Metropolitan Police) (PA Wire)

Abraham, reportedly an electrician and married father with two children under five, told the Daily Mail: “Should you see an evil it is your duty to stop it with your hands.

“If you cannot, then you should stop it by speaking out. So I was thinking: ‘How could I face God if I don’t help? It is my duty, my religion.’

“In that moment I knew I had to act.”

Abraham, originally from Chechnya told the paper he had overslept on the morning of the incident and was on his way to work when he heard shouting and screaming.

Abraham said it was his ‘duty’ to act (Aaron Chown/PA) (PA Wire)

He could see a man with a steel blade in his hand stab a woman on the floor three times in the chest, leaving him “shocked and terrified”.

He continued: “I thought: ‘I cannot go away and leave her.’ I had to help, to try to save her. I did not have time to consider. I thought the safest and quickest option was to push the man away from the woman with my car.

“So I put my car into first gear and drove up the kerb and onto the pavement. It was a short distance, 10 or 12ft, and I pushed him, I made an impact. I managed to avoid the woman.

“Then I took my foot off the gas but my car didn’t stop. The momentum continued and I knew the man was under my car. I opened the door and I saw his hand sticking out from under it. That sight stays with me and always will: the man’s hand sticking out.

“My car hit a garden wall and stalled and I tried to reverse but the engine wouldn’t turn over. I kept trying to start the car, to free the man, but I couldn’t. I shouted for help.”

Leon McCaskie was pronounced dead at the scene (Aaron Chown/PA) (PA Wire)

On Tuesday, the Metropolitan Police said that investigators had reviewed the law around self-defence and defence of another, and now considered the 26-year-old “a vital witness”, rather than a suspect.

Thousands of people had signed a petition in support of Abraham, and members of Ms Chfaiki’s family were also reported to have hailed him as “a hero”.

But after being arrested, Abraham said he was in “shock”.

He added: “I took my head in my hands and thought: ‘How has this happened?’ I’d tried to save a woman’s life and I’d killed a man.

“I said a prayer: ‘God forgive me for what I have done.’”