Man convicted of attempted murder after off‑duty officer’s heroic intervention

A man has been convicted of attempted manslaughter after being detained by an off-duty Met officer on his way home from work.

Following a four-week trial at the Old Bailey, Kulvinder Ram (20.05.76), of First Avenue, Dagenham, was found guilty of attempting to kill a woman and a child in Dagenham on 25 October 2024. He was also found guilty for GBH in relation to a second child.

The three victims suffered serious injuries, all of which required surgery. One of the victims was so badly injured that doctors feared they would not survive, and they remained in critical condition for a number of days.

Ram was apprehended at the scene by an off-duty sergeant in the Met’s Special Constabulary who was walking home from work.

Special Police Sergeant Seff Serroukh saw the woman and child running in the road, both covered in blood. From a distance, he thought he was witnessing a Halloween prank, but as he got closer he realised the severity of what was in front of him. The officer’s actions have been hailed as an extraordinary example of police bravery, with the off-duty sergeant putting the safety of others above his own.

Recalling the events of that day, SPS Serroukh, said: “I quickly ran towards them and was immediately struck by the extent of their injuries and the amount of blood.

“When I became aware children were involved, I knew I had to act quickly. I had no safety equipment, no colleagues to assist, but as a father and a police officer it was just a natural instinct to respond without hesitation, even without knowing the risk.

“As I approached the house, the suspect left the property and I managed to place him onto the ground with his hands behind his back, which was difficult as he was bigger and heavier than me.

“I was already on the phone to 999 and luckily I managed to keep him detained until colleagues arrived to take over.

“I have been in the MSC for six years but this was by far the hardest thing I’ve had to deal with. Most importantly the victims survived and I’m just glad someone was there to help when needed.”

Detective Constable Lewis Whitlock, who led the investigation, said: “This is a particularly distressing case and my thoughts remain with the victims as they continue to process what happened that day.

“Our investigation left us with no doubt that Ram intended to kill those he targeted, and we are pleased the jury has reached the same verdict based on the evidence we presented at court.

“I must also recognise the role of SPS Serroukh, who ran towards danger without any hesitation for his own personal safety. Without him, I have no doubt that Ram would have gone on to inflict further and most likely fatal injuries. His actions reflect the very best of the Met His bravery must be commended and I know the family extend their thanks to him too.

“Similarly, a member of the public who ran into the house and attempted to stem the bleeding of one of the victims played a major role in saving their life. Again, his efforts should be applauded and we hope he recognises how grateful we are for his intervention.”

The court heard that Ram was suffering from what was then undiagnosed schizophrenia at the time of the attack, but not to the extent that he did not know what he was doing.

He had started to believe that he was being watched by cameras and had grown increasingly paranoid in the days leading up to the attack.

His behaviour had also become increasingly erratic, including threatening to kill one of the victims two weeks previously.

Following the attack, Ram was arrested and taken into custody, where he was remanded until trial.

He will be sentenced at the same court at a future date.