Murder-trial son was 'very angry'

A son accused of murdering his father had been drinking heavily on the day of the death, a court heard.

Roy Warrington told police he later gave his father, Robert, 65, "a few slaps" after his girlfriend told him the older man had been "perving" at her and had tried to "touch" her.

Robert Warrington (65), who suffered from dementia, was found stabbed to death at his home in Ling Road, Shelthorpe, Loughborough, on October 23 last year.

Roy Warrington (42), of the same address, is accused of his murder, along with his then-girlfriend, Lynn Kerr, and friend Ian Matthews, who is also known as Stan.

The jury at Leicester Crown Court was yesterday read transcripts of a police interview done the day after Mr Warrington's death.

Prosecutor Steven Coupland told the court that Warrington said he was with Kerr on the morning of October 23 and had begun drinking alcohol from 6am.

Warrington told officers: "I had about six or seven cans of Stella followed up by a litre of sherry.

"I need it to level myself up and after that I feel normal. Lynn had a bottle of cider and sherry. She'll drink anything.

"She was on bail at the time for arson with intent and I had also been on bail for something else."

They continued to drink until about 10am before going to Matthews's house, where Warrington drank eight more cans of Stella.

In the evening, they went back to his father's house.

While Kerr stayed in Warrington's bedroom, the two men went out to buy some more alcohol.

In the transcript read to the court, Warrington said: "We got back and Lynn said my dad had been perving at her and had tried to touch her.

"That made me and Stan angry. He was in a foul mood and did not like him.

"He said we should use a pillow to smother him."

He said Matthews barged into the room, got on the bed and stamped on his father's face. Warrington then punched him, knocking him to the floor.

He said: "Lynn just went mad and started stabbing him with a knife.

"I didn't kill him, I just gave him a few slaps. I wanted him to die of natural causes so I could inherit the house."

Earlier, the court heard from police officers who said they overheard Kerr at a police station saying, after she had been arrested: "I only put the blade into him to get him off."

The officers accepted that they had not made a note of the comment at the time and had only reported it a couple of days later.

Warrington, Kerr, (55), formerly of Pinfold Gardens, Loughborough and Matthews, (46), of Griggs Road, in Shelthorpe, all deny murdering Mr Warrington.

The trial continues.