Skipton double killing: Mentally ill son admits stabbing parents John and Beverley Taylor to death in their home

David Michael Taylor, 35, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility at Bradford Crown Court in response to two charges of the murders of John David and Beverley Taylor, both 66, who are understood to have been his parents.

The couple were found with stab wounds at their home on Regent Crescent in Skipton on December 21 last year.

The Crown Prosecution Service indicated it was happy to accept Mr Taylor's pleas and will not seek a murder trial.

The court was told that psychiatric reports agree that the diminished responsibility defence would be 'available' to Mr Taylor as he has suffered from paranoid schizophrenia for a number of years. It was also confirmed that he had sought medical assistance for his mental health condition the day before Mr and Mrs Taylor were killed and that he was 'unable to obtain' medication prescribed to him.

Judge Jonathan Rose clarified that three options would be open at the sentencing hearing - a prison term, a hospital order under the Mental Health Act or a hybrid order which would allow transfer to custody if psychiatric treatment was successful.

Mr Taylor will continue to be held on remand at a secure hospital until the sentencing on July 13.

Members of the Taylor family were in court and stated that they favoured detention in a hospital.

John and Beverley Taylor, who were great-grandparents, have another son and two daughters. They were both leading lights in the town's sporting scene, with Mrs Taylor, nee Bernard, who moved to Yorkshire from Trinidad as a young child, excelling at netball. Mr Taylor, an engineer in the oil industry, was a champion swimmer and played for Skipton Rugby Club.

At their funeral, mourners were asked to donate to a mental health charity.