A mental health patient who today admitted murdering a Christchurch mother-of-four in a random knife attack was jailed a decade ago for a frenzied knife-wielding spree during which he was "possessed by the devil", it can now be revealed.

Court suppression orders have lifted which means the Herald can finally report that Somalian refugee Zakariye Mohamed Hussein, 37, had a history of "serious, unprovoked, gratuitous and random" violence that led to prison sentences and ongoing stays at a psychiatric ward.

And as well as kidnapping a pie delivery driver at knifepoint – and then almost fatally stabbing a city council worker – in the March 2012 rampage across Christchurch, the Herald can reveal that in 2018 he attacked a Hillmorton Hospital nurse and poured a hot cup of black coffee over their head.

A member of the public photographed Zakariye Hussein during his frightening knife rampage across Christchurch in 2012.

Today, Hussein appeared at the High Court in Christchurch to admit murdering Laisa Tunidau, 52, on June 25 this year.

The court heard how Hussein was an in-patient at Hillmorton and that afternoon had authority for 30 minutes leave, on condition he did not leave hospital grounds.

However, he caught a public bus to his family home, becoming angry with some issue arising at the hospital on the way.

Zakariye Mohamed Hussein, 37, at the High Court in Christchurch today. Photo / Anna Leask

While walking, he saw a man mowing his lawns and decided to stab him.

He went to his family's house, took a steak knife the kitchen drawer and put it in his pocket.

Laisa Tunidau was fatally stabbed in Christchurch on June 25, 2022. Photo / NZME

But as he went outside, he thought it was too close to home and didn't want his family to witness anything.

As he walked down Cheyenne St, he saw a woman walking. He took out the knife and stabbed her repeatedly around her chest as she tried to protect herself.

He threw away the knife walked away.

The scene at Cheyenne St in Sockburn, Christchurch where Laisa Tunidau was fatally stabbed. Photo / Kurt Bayer

Hussein was arrested later that day.

Today, he also admitted stabbing a Hillmorton nurse with a pen on December 16 last year.

Justice Jonathan Eaton remanded Hussein in custody to be sentenced on December 18.

Hussein's history could not be published until now because of a name suppression order imposed by a judge after his arrest and live charges of murdering Laisa Tunidau, a 52-year-old woman, just metres from her house on Cheyenne St, Sockburn about 4.20pm on June 25 this year.

The scene at Cheyenne St in Sockburn, Christchurch where Laisa Tunidau was fatally stabbed. Photo / Kurt Bayer

The first time Hussein, a refugee from Somalia living in Christchurch, came to the attention of authorities was in dramatic, deeply-concerning fashion.

At about 7am on March 15, 2012, he was disturbed in the grounds of Redwood School by caretaker Noel Batstone.

Hussein chased Batstone and a teacher, who barricaded themselves inside a classroom and phoned police.

He then hijacked then 36-year-old mum-of-one Marteine Robin's pie delivery van and ordered her to drive off.

She told him to "get the **** out" of her delivery truck, but he forced her at knifepoint to drive him across Christchurch, and then stabbing her in the shoulder.

"I feared the worst. I thought I was going to die," she told the Herald that day.

Robin eventually managed to escape when Hussein was distracted at a traffic jam almost one hour later.

But the drama only escalated when Hussein left the truck near the busy intersection of Hoon Hay and Halswell roads and then almost fatally stabbed a city council worker, who has name suppression.

City construction worker Jade Lynn, 22, saw the attacker rampaging between vehicles and approached him with a crowbar, striking him in the neck, and herding him away from other members of the public.

Eyewitnesses described Lynn as a "hero" who prevented Hussein from attacking other bystanders.

Hussein was only stopped when pepper sprayed, Tasered and then shot twice by a police officer in his shoulder and wrist.

When he was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in jail, Judge David Saunders told him his attacks terrified a number of innocent people who have suffered ongoing "physical and emotional harm".

Tunidau's 11-year-old son has been left "traumatised" after watching emergency services try to save a woman outside his family home, not then knowing it was his mother.

Tunidau's body was taken home to Fiji and her funeral was held on July 5 in her village of Nabitu in Tailevu.

According to Fiji media, hundreds of family and friends - some who travelled from Christchurch - attended the service.

Nemani Tunidau told the Fiji Times the last time saw his wife was the morning of her alleged murder.

He dropped her at work before travelling to visit Fijian workers at Waimate.

"When I was in Waimate, I was with a Fijian man who works in government and they have some kind of network where they are alerted if something happens or an accident happens around New Zealand," he said.

"I heard them saying that someone was stabbed in Christchurch but they didn't mention anything in detail to me."

Nemani Tunidau later went to his pastor's home and his son was there.

"Something has happened to mum," the boy said.

The police then told Nemani Tunidau about the alleged murder.

He described his wife as a softly spoken and humble woman.

Almost a week after the alleged murder the CDHB confirmed a full review had been launched into how the accused was allowed into the community.

"Whenever a serious adverse event occurs involving patients in our care a full review is carried out. A serious event review looks carefully into the care provided," said
CDHB chief executive Dr Peter Bramley.

"I can assure the public that if there are recommendations for changes to be made as a result of our own, or any external review, these will be actioned.

"We continue to assist police with their investigations and as this matter is before the courts it is not appropriate for us to provide any further comment at this time."

Tunidau and her husband are originally from Fiji.

An adult son is a police officer based at the Sigatoka Police Station.

The local Fijian community in Christchurch rallied around her husband and son after her death, arranging them somewhere to stay away from the crime scene outside their home.

After earlier enquiries from the Herald, Waitaha Canterbury, formerly called the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) said the December incident – where Hussein had become angry at being denied leave from the hospital and swung a pen wrapped in paper "for better grip" hit a nurse on the arm - was being taken "very seriously".

"In these circumstances, a health and safety incident report and a clinical review occurs and changes are put in place based on both of those assessments," said Greg Hamilton of Waitaha Canterbury's specialist mental health services.

Almost a week after the murder, Waitaha Canterbury confirmed a full review had been launched.

"Whenever a serious adverse event occurs involving patients in our care a full review is carried out. A serious event review looks carefully into the care provided," said Waitaha Canterbury chief executive Dr Peter Bramley.

"I can assure the public that if there are recommendations for changes to be made as a result of our own, or any external review, these will be actioned.

"We continue to assist police with their investigations and as this matter is before the courts it is not appropriate for us to provide any further comment at this time."
Hussein was initially granted interim name suppression at his first court appeared.

On July 15 when he appeared at the High Court in Christchurch, a judge sought a report under Section 38 of the Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act 2003 to assess his fitness to stand trial. Additional reports were also being sought by his lawyer Josh Lucas.

Those reports will now be considered by the sentencing judge.