Knifeman who told police and doctors of 'voices in my head' killed pregnant woman

Alan McMullan, 54, killed 21-year-old Claire Wilson by stabbing her in the back as she walked to work in Grimsby on the afternoon of Sunday, June 7, last year.

When he was arrested after walking casually away, he told officers: "I've got voices in my head telling me to do it. I left the knife stuck in her."

A jury at Hull Crown Court trying McMullan for murder heard that he had visited Grimsby Police Station armed with a knife three times between June and July 2008, saying he was "ill" and hearing voices telling him to kill people.

On each occasion he was transferred to a psychiatric unit at Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in the town, but staff found no reason to detain him and on his final visit thought he was exaggerating his symptoms.

After the first visit to police, on June 2, 2008, he told doctors he had been hearing the voices for a month. He was said to be emotional because staff had treated him well, but an assessment by a psychiatrist found "no cause for concern" and he was released after 14 days.

He spent another 21 days in hospital after presenting himself at the police station on June 19, but staff found no abnormality in his perceptions, and according to a psychiatrist, McMullan was "in full capacity and understood the consequences of his actions". After a third visit to police, on July 21, McMullan was discharged again after a further brief stay in hospital.

Lynn Tayton QC, prosecuting, told the trial: "Staff took the view he was exaggerating his symptoms to be admitted to hospital."

Miss Tayton told the jury that Miss Wilson, who was six months pregnant, had not wanted to go to work on the day of the attack because it was raining and she was tired after being woken up early by the kicking of her unborn baby – which she and her boyfriend Adam Kennard had already named April.

Mr Kennard told her it would be all right and packed her bag as she found it difficult to walk upstairs. He kissed her goodbye at 3.30pm at the couple's new home in Julian Street, where they had lived for a month, and watched her set off on the short walk to a Pizza Hut restaurant in Victoria Street. Miss Wilson could only walk slowly because of the pregnancy.

At 3.45pm she was seen by Stephen Page and his mother Jean Page as they were driving home after a meal at the restaurant with his daughter and step-daughter.

As they stopped at traffic lights in Victoria Street, Miss Wilson was walking towards them with McMullan, who was wearing a black woolly hat, following close behind.

They became concerned when they saw him quicken his pace as they thought he was going to steal her bag. As they came level with the car the family watched in horror as McMullan raised his arm and struck her with force in a downwards motion.

Mrs Page said in a statement: "The girl, who had turned round to face me, had her arms out and just screamed. She dropped to her tummy, then her side. I felt so helpless."

Miss Wilson was pronounced dead at 5.12pm and her unborn child could not be saved.

Miss Tayton said: "The Crown does not accept that the defendant was suffering from diminished responsibility."

McMullan, of Sherwood Road, Grimsby, denies murder.

The case continues.