Manslaughter plea accepted after psychiatric reports

A man who admitted stabbing a grandfather to death will be sentenced for manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility, a court has heard.

Moses Fernandes, 22, was due to go on trial earlier, charged with murdering 71-year-old Terry McFadyen in a house in Layer Close, Norwich, on 3 November.

Prosecutor William Carter told Norwich Crown Court that Fernandes had been assessed by three forensic psychiatrists and had been found to be suffering from schizophrenia.

He said that "after a lot of thought" the prosecution had "come to the conclusion that the plea to manslaughter by diminished responsibility was an acceptable plea".

Paramedics had been called to the house in Bowthorpe after a man in his 20s reported he was having breathing difficulties.

Police were then called by the ambulance service at 04:45 GMT when the man was reported to be behaving aggressively, and officers found McFadyen with stab wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The man at the property was arrested on suspicion of murder.

Norfolk Police said a post-mortem examination gave McFadyen's cause of death as "blood loss and hypovolaemic shock".

In an earlier statement released through police, the dead man's family said they were "totally heartbroken at the sudden loss of Terry McFadyen - a beloved dad, grandad and partner".

They described him as "a kind, warm and gentle man who would do anything to help others".

Carter said Fernandes' guilty plea was entered in April.

He added that the defendant had been prescribed anti-psychotic medication since being remanded in custody and had been on a hospital wing.

The judge, His Honour Anthony Bate, said Fernandes would be sentenced on 24 September following further psychiatric reports.

Fernandes was further remanded in custody until that court hearing.

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