Teenager 'stabbed man, 79, in heart in random attack'

Gerald Wickes died from a single stab wound through the heart

A teenager stabbed a 79-year-old man through the heart after walking into a stranger's house, a court has heard.

Gerald Wickes was killed while visiting his ex-wife and son in Eyres Monsell, Leicester, on 22 February.

Daniel Rounce, now 18, is charged with murdering Mr Wickes and possessing a bladed article.

The hearing at Leicester Crown Court is a trial of the act after Mr Rounce was found unfit to stand conventional trial by reason of his mental health.

Mr Rounce is also charged with assaulting an emergency worker.

Daniel Rounce walked along Queens Park Way for about 45 minutes before launching the attack, the court heard

Opening proceedings at Leicester Crown Court, prosecutor Steven Bailey said: "The attacker walked in through an unlocked door, unannounced and uninvited.

"He walked into the room, he ignored their questions about what he was doing and he said very little, except words to the effect that he would decide what was going to happen next.

"The attacker pulled out from somewhere in his clothes a large orange knife and stabbed Mr Wickes in the chest, just once, but that was enough.

"The prosecution says that the attacker was Daniel Rounce.

"The prosecution says that the evidence will make you sure that Daniel Rounce did the acts complained of in this case."

The court heard the defendant had gone missing from his supported accommodation in Markfield, near Leicester, the previous day.

Mr Bailey said Mr Rounce was seen on CCTV loitering in the Eyres Monsell area on the day of the attack wearing dark clothing and a motorcycle helmet and was seen passing Mr Wickes' ex-wife as she walked home at about 16:00 GMT.

Over the course of about 45 minutes he was then seen walking past her home on Queens Park Way several times, before launching his attack, Mr Bailey told the jury.

DNA evidence

Mr Wickes died about 30 minutes after the stabbing, despite the efforts of emergency services.

Mr Rounce was arrested about six hours later elsewhere in Leicester, but kicked out at officers.

Mr Wickes' DNA was found in blood on the back of Mr Rounce's glove, said the prosecution, with police later recovering the knife believed to have been used in the attack after the defendant fled the scene.

Two bags of belongings - also seen on CCTV prior to the killing - were also found discarded, and contained a laptop that had Mr Rounce's thumbprint on the keyboard, and other items which tied him to the scene, Mr Bailey said.

Mr Rounce, of The Green, Markfield, near Leicester, was not present for the first day of proceedings.

A trial of the act is not to decide whether someone intended to commit an act or question a defendant's state of mind but to decide if they physically did it.

While a defendant cannot be criminally convicted, the burden of proof for a jury remains beyond all reasonable doubt.

Jurors will not deliver a guilty or not guilty verdict, but will instead only determine if he physically did what he is accused of.

The trial continues.