Lancaster murder trial: Jury is told victim Lee Farrington told housing worker voices in his head were 'telling him to kill someone' after friend was attacked

Lee Farrington died during an operation, after a knife attack severed his femoral artery last August.

Connor Reece, 24, of no fixed abode, denies his murder, though he admits inflicting the injury, having mistakenly believed another man had been stabbed.

Steve Toft, is a recovery co-ordinator at Oak Tree House, Lancaster, where Mr Farrington and Connor Reece lived.

In a statement read to jurors, Mr Toft said he spoke to Mr Farrington on the phone on August 19, after his friend, Ciaran Currie had been attacked.

He said: " At about 9pm I received a call from the mother of Ciaran Currie saying there had been an incident at the shop. She asked me to call Ciaran as he and Lee had been attacked.

"I called Ciaran. He said his eye was injured and paramedics were on their way.

"Ciaran asked me to talk to Lee. He was tearful and highly distressed, incomprehensible and sounded under the influence of drugs.

"Lee told me voices in his head were telling him to kill someone."

He added he told him he would "kill someone that night with the biggest blade he could find," and that he encouraged him to explain how he was feeling to paramedics.

He added: " I was quite direct with Lee and he agreed to do it."

(proceeding)