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| Mental health patient on trial for knife attacks killed her mother, jury told | Mental health patient on trial for knife attacks killed her mother, jury told |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A woman on trial for attacking two strangers with a knife had killed her mother six years before, the Old Bailey has been told. | A woman on trial for attacking two strangers with a knife had killed her mother six years before, the Old Bailey has been told. |
| Nicola Edgington stabbed her mother in November 2005 and went missing for three weeks. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and was made the subject of a hospital order without limit of time. | |
| But by October 2011, while being treated in the community, she attacked two women on their way to work in Bexleyheath, south-east London, the court was told. | |
| Kerry Clark, 22, managed to fight Edgington off, the jury heard, but Sally Hodkin, 58, an accounts manager for a law firm, died when her neck was cut with a large butcher's knife. | |
| Just hours earlier, Edgington had gone to a hospital – but walked out before she could be admitted as a voluntary inpatient. | Just hours earlier, Edgington had gone to a hospital – but walked out before she could be admitted as a voluntary inpatient. |
| Edgington, 32, of Greenwich, south-east London, denies murdering Hodkin and the attempted murder of Clark, who is now 24. | |
| Edgington spent three years as an inpatient in a psychiatric unit before being released under the supervision of a psychiatrist, nurse and social worker. | Edgington spent three years as an inpatient in a psychiatric unit before being released under the supervision of a psychiatrist, nurse and social worker. |
| Mark Heywood QC, prosecuting, told the jury that Edgington attacked her mother after spending the evening with her brother and sister. | Mark Heywood QC, prosecuting, told the jury that Edgington attacked her mother after spending the evening with her brother and sister. |
| In 2011, her condition began to deteriorate after her brother made contact again. | In 2011, her condition began to deteriorate after her brother made contact again. |
| Edgington had been diagnosed as schizophrenic when she was first sentenced, but the prosecution no longer accepted this was the case. | |
| Heywood said she had a borderline personality disorder and was responsible for her actions. He said the jury would have to consider a number of things. | |
| "One factor is that she has been through it all before," he said. "She therefore knew what to expect – what might happen should she kill again." | "One factor is that she has been through it all before," he said. "She therefore knew what to expect – what might happen should she kill again." |
| Heywood described the street attacks. | Heywood described the street attacks. |
| He said: "She approached and deliberately and viciously attacked each of them without warning, without any provocation. | He said: "She approached and deliberately and viciously attacked each of them without warning, without any provocation. |
| "She used the weapon forcefully and purposefully in each attack. She was controlled and she was rational." | "She used the weapon forcefully and purposefully in each attack. She was controlled and she was rational." |
| Heywood added: "This case concerns two murderous attacks in the street with large knives. In each case the intention was to kill. | Heywood added: "This case concerns two murderous attacks in the street with large knives. In each case the intention was to kill. |
| "The first victim survived because she fought her attacker off and took the knife away. | "The first victim survived because she fought her attacker off and took the knife away. |
| "The second person attacked, although she tried to defend herself with her bare hands, was unable to achieve that. She was overwhelmed. She died almost immediately from the catastrophic injuries inflicted on her." | |
| Heywood said Edgington had bought a large knife and attacked Clark, who was forced to the ground but fought her off, and then Edgington picked up an even larger knife from a butcher's shop. | |
| Heywood said: "With it, she went on until she found another lady. She set upon her with the bigger knife, attacking her with such sustained force that her neck was cut completely open." | Heywood said: "With it, she went on until she found another lady. She set upon her with the bigger knife, attacking her with such sustained force that her neck was cut completely open." |
| Edgington claims her responsibility was diminished because of her mental state. | Edgington claims her responsibility was diminished because of her mental state. |