A prisoner who admitted killing a fellow inmate at Wandsworth prison after seriously injuring a man on Wimbledon Common has been sectioned under the mental health act.

Taras Nykolyn, 46, pleaded guilty on Friday, January 15, to the manslaughter of Wadid Barsoum on the grounds of diminished responsibility and inflicting grievous bodily harm on Roger Maxwell.

January 15: Prisoner Taras Nykolyn admits manslaughter of fellow inmate and Wimbledon Common attack

He was due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey today, Friday, February 5, but the Recorder of London Nicholas Hilliard QC decided to section him until more about his mental state was understood.

Three different doctors have so far struggled to determine whether Nykolyn suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, or whether he is subjected to periods of paranoid psychosis when under pressure.

The court heard today that Mr Maxwell, 51, of Putney, was subjected to an unprovoked attack as he walked through Wimbledon Common at around 6.30am on Thursday, June 19, 2014.

Nykolyn, formerly of Meredith Street, Plaistow, chased Mr Maxwell through the Common before grabbing and twisting his wrist, punching him and forcing him to the ground.

October 31 2014: Man, 45, denies early-morning assault near Wimbledon Common windmill

A witness, Russell Reed, who had been walking his dog and ran to Mr Maxwell’s aid after hearing a man shouting, previously described Nykolyn “bashing him to pieces.”

He said he saw Nykolyn sat on Mr Maxwell’s chest, punching him in the head until his knuckles bled, and heard Mr Maxwell saying “I’m a good person, I’ve done nothing wrong.”

Mr Maxwell suffered a broken and dislocated left wrist, a fractured nose and significant bruising and swelling to his face in the attack.

Nykolyn was arrested and remanded in custody at Wandsworth Prison following the attack, and was due to stand trial at Kingston Crown Court on May 26 2015.

However, he killed his cell mate Wadid Barsoum, 66, in the prison on the morning of May 4.

Barrister for the prosecution, Simon Dennison, told the court today that the blow to the head that killed Mr Barsoum appeared to have been inflicted by being hit by a television.

December 14: Taras Nykolyn charged with murder in Wandsworth prison and attack on Wimbledon Common appeared in court via video link

A prison officer also reported that Nykolyn told him he “smashed his head with the telly”. When the officer asked why, Nykolyn replied “I just looked in the mirror.”

Mr Barsoum was pronounced dead at St George’s Hospital, Tooting, at 9.30am. Nykolyn was arrested on suspicion of murder at 12.33pm.

Mr Barsoum’s post mortem examination showed a significant blunt assault to his head, face and neck.

He had fractures to both sides of his jaw and severe neck injuries, with heavy bruising “probably caused by stamping on the neck.”

There was no evidence of Mr Barsoum having any defensive injuries.

Mr Dennison also said there had been concerns about Nykolyn’s behaviour in the weeks leading up to Mr Barsoum’s death.

The day before the fatal attack, Nykolyn was asked to leave the prison church and taken back to his cell because of his “erratic behaviour”, as he began talking nonsensically and saying random words such as “house, shoe, pain, head, depressed.”

Nykolyn, who wore a dark blue jumper and jogging bottoms to court, has no history of mental health disorders, but has previous history of both drug and alcohol abuse.

Speaking on video link from Broadmoor today, Dr Bhattacherjee said: “I think he needs further assessment and treatment in hospital, and I think that treatment needs to occur in conditions of high scrutiny because of the unpredictability of his behaviour and clear instability in his mental state.

“As yet we have very little understanding of why he was motivated to commit the offences.

“It’s safe to say he remains a high risk.”

An update on the state of Nykolyn’s mental health will be given on Thursday, April 14, before he is sentenced.