Man sentenced for stabbing his mother to death

Michele Romano, 68, was stabbed to death at her son's home in Essex

A man has been given a hospital order after stabbing his mother to death at his home.

Sebastian Compton, 47, was charged with murdering Michele Romano, 68, in Readers Court, Great Baddow, near Chelmsford, on 9 February.

He admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Sentencing him at Chelmsford Crown Court, Judge Mary Loram said Compton was "undergoing acute psychosis at the time of the killing".

Neighbours told the BBC how they heard an air ambulance landing at the scene following the fatal stabbing

She added: "The defendant is of previous good character and there is nothing to suggest that he had anything but a good relationship with his mother."

The court heard Compton was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2008 and had been taking antipsychotic drug clozapine until the end of 2023.

He told a doctor he had stopped taking the drug because he felt "well", the court heard.

Mrs Romano was a "regular visitor" to his flat and would go there to make sure the defendant was all right and was coping, said Andrew Jackson, prosecuting.

Mr Jackson said Compton had said the pair had a confrontation and that Mrs Romano was "going for him" when Compton picked up a kitchen knife and stabbed her 20 times.

He said there were stab wounds to Mrs Romano's face, arm and her torso.

Michele Romano was pronounced dead at the scene in Great Baddow in February

On the day of the killing, neighbours had called police due to concerns over Compton's appearance.

Mr Jackson said: "They thought he was wearing red gloves, but they realised it was blood."

Thinking Compton was injured, they dialled 999.

On arrival, emergency workers asked Compton if he was OK, and he replied: "No, I've just killed my mum."

Police asked how he had done that, and he replied that he had stabbed her about 20 times.

He asked them to take him to a mental health unit.

'I don't know why I did it'

The court heard paramedics found Mrs Romano lying behind the kitchen door in her son's flat, fully clothed, wearing slippers and "drenched in blood".

Next to her body was a kitchen knife covered in blood, Mr Jackson said.

He told the court Compton had said: "It was not me, it was psychosis, it was an act of God.

"I don't know why I did it. Taking someone's life is not good."

In a letter read out in court, Compton's stepfather Thierry Romano said his wife had "walked into a death trap".

He said he had been "haunted" by her death and that the emotional toll had been unbearable.

Dr Raman Deo, consultant in forensic psychiatry, said: "This man had remained very well over a prolonged number of years.

"The deterioration of his mental state happened when he became non-compliant with his medication."

Judge Loram said she was aware of "the seriousness of the offence and the fact that there was loss of life".

She said it was important to take the "whole history" into consideration and that Compton had been taking his medication for almost 16 years.