‘Die you f***ing c***’ Pensioner, 79, killed when ‘stabbed 39 times in horrifying attack’

A MENTALLY ill man who stabbed a pensioner to death while shouting “die you f****** c***” was failed by NHS practitioners who ignored claims he would “hurt someone or worse”, a court heard today.

Relatives of Matthew Daley, who brutally stabbed 79-year-old Donald Lock 39 times following a low-speed car collision, were "constantly on the case" of clinicians to try to get him the treatment he needed, the jury at Lewes Crown Court were told.

Daley is accused of murdering Mr Lock after the pensioner’s car bumped into the back of his near Worthing in West Sussex on July 16.

Mr Lock first asked Daley why he had stopped so suddenly before stabbing him repeatedly, telling the pensioner to "die you f***ing c***", jurors heard.

One witness said Daley, who is being held in a medium-secure unit, was “expressionless” and acting as if he was "having a passport photo" taken during the brutal attack.

Another witness said during the "ferocious" killing, Daley stabbed the defenceless grandfather twice “every second."

Following the knifing, Daley then drove off and abandoned his Ford Fusion at Woodlands Stables, the court was told.

Jurors heard Daley had performed a full emergency stop before the crash and got out of his car before "flailing punches" at Mr Lock, who attempted to get him in a "bear hug" in order to stop him.

Opening the Crown's case, Philip Bennetts QC said: "Matthew Daley broke violently approaching the junction of the A24 in Findon, West Sussex.

“Donald Lock, who was immediately behind him, collided with his car.

“Donald Lock got out of his car and went to speak to Matthew Daley.

"Matthew Daley got out of his car as Donald Lock approached."

In a police interview following his arrest, Daley said he wanted to protect himself, claiming that Mr Lock was "really furious and angry".

The Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has apologised to Daley's family for having "failed" him, the jury were told, after many requests for help.

Daley's defence counsel David Howker QC said it was beyond argument that he suffered from mental health problems, adding the jury would have to consider whether he acted with diminished responsibility.

He said: "We will call evidence about Mr Daley's mental health difficulties over the past 10 years and how he came to be diagnosed by the NHS as suffering from autistic spectrum, and how it was that that diagnosis was not a thorough diagnosis of his condition.

"And we will call evidence of how Mr Daley's family, particularly his father, were constantly on the case of clinicians, even at one stage, in an act of desperation, Mr Daley saying, 'Look, if you don't give my son the proper care or treatment he needs he is going to hurt someone or worse'.

"And I'm afraid to say those fears were realised.

"The health authority belatedly have acknowledged to the Daley family how they failed Mr Daley, how he had not received the care and treatment he should have done and they have apologised for that.

"There will always be a question mark that if done properly, that this could have all been avoided."

Daley, formerly of St Elmo Road, Worthing, denies murder.

The trial is expected to last around two weeks.