'Personality disorder' of accused

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A truck driver accused of murdering his boss was suffering from a personality disorder at the time, a court heard.

Russell Carter, 52, of Cardiff, did not think rationally and thought there was "only one way out" of his financial problems, Newport Crown Court was told.

He denies murdering Kingsley Monk and the attempted murder of three staff at Driverline 247 in New Inn, Pontypool.

The defence said the killing should be treated as manslaughter because of diminished responsibility.

It said ithat should be on the grounds of Mr Carter's mental condition at the time of the incident in October last year.

He is accused of using cable ties and rope to bind Mr Monk and colleagues Gethin Heal, Nathan Taylor and Robert Lewis during a four-hour ordeal in the industrial unit.

The prosecution also claim he struck Mr Monk on the head with a metal bar before being "throttled, probably by his own tie".

I didn't get any sense of empathy or feeling for whatever is the impact of his behaviour Dr Sukhi Shergill, consultant psychiatrist

The jury has previously heard Mr Carter thought he was owed £3,000 in wages by Mr Monk and had fears about the impending repossession of his home in Rumney, Cardiff.

The court heard that Mr Carter had a personality disorder and a depressive illness.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Sukhi Shergill, of King's College London, told the court: "During the interview I didn't get any sense of empathy or feeling for whatever is the impact of his behaviour on the people he imprisoned, or their families."

The court heard that the defendant was admitted to hospital for mental health problems as a child when growing up in the US.

Dr Shergill said the "enormous financial and personal stress" he was under "served to exacerbate Mr Carter's personality disorder".

Kingsley Monk was struck on the head with a bar and throttled

"Because of the mental disorder he started to believe there was only one way out of this," he said.

The jury heard how Mr Carter asked police to shoot him when they arrested him at Newport train station on the night of the crime.

He had spoken of how he was failing his family and said they would be better off without him.

Cross-examining, prosecutor David Aubrey QC pointed out that Mr Carter did not admit killing Mr Monk in interviews with the police.

'Clear thinking'

He said most of the information the doctor learned about Mr Carter's condition in the months prior to the alleged murder came from the defendant himself, asking if it was "dangerous to accept what you're told at face value by the defendant".

"Yes," Dr Shergill replied.

Mr Aubrey said Mr Carter wore surgical gloves throughout the attack and used an office computer to transfer £15,000 to a bank account he could access.

He added that the defendant showed "clear thinking" by buying new clothes after leaving the scene.

Mr Carter has pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning Mr Monk and employees Mr Heal, Mr Taylor and Mr Lewis.

The trial continues.