'I want to murder mum', son said in 'attack'

A man accused of "viciously" attacking his mother and stepfather said "I want to murder mum and I think I've done it," a court has heard.

James Wells, 43, of Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire, is on trial at Bristol Crown Court for the attempted murder of Linda Holford and her husband Adrian.

The jury was played a police interview with Mr Holford where he told them: "I thought 'we are going to die here.'"

Mr Wells has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

The court has heard the attack took place at their home in Shalbourne, near Marlborough, Wiltshire, on 30 March last year.

In the interview played to jurors, Mr Holford, 75, told officers that Mr Wells had made the remark about wanting to murder his mother during the attack,

He also told how "there was blood everywhere" and he thought his wife had been killed.

Describing the attack, he said: "He grabbed Linda by the throat, threw her on the floor and tried to strangle her. He had both hands on Linda's throat. When I pulled one of his hands off, he put it around my throat."

Mr Wells then used fireplace tools including a poker and ash pan, as well as a pewter tankard, to attack the couple, Mr Holford said.

"I've never seen anything like that in my life. There was blood everywhere. I thought Linda was dead," he added.

In her police interview, Mrs Holford, 70, said she had no memory of it and learned in hospital that her son had attacked her.

"It was so hard to believe and hard to understand. Just one's worst nightmare," she told police.

Mr Wells also denies assaulting a police officer who he is alleged to have spat on.

The trial continues.

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