A babysitter who stabbed a six-year-old boy to death claimed he was acting on telepathic messages from television show Stargate SG1, a court heard.
from BBC England
James Brennan was stabbed 73 times by 25-year-old Anthony Barnwell at his home in Chorlton, Manchester, last September while his father was out.
Barnwell admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility at Manchester Crown Court last month.
On Wednesday, he was sent indefinitely to a secure mental hospital.
James’ father, David Broomhead, found his son’s body after returning home to Terrington Close at about 0810 BST on 1 September.
Police arrived a few minutes later and found James in his bedroom on the ground floor of the maisonette.
Stargate SG1
Barnwell was found at the Southern Cafe on Nell Lane, Chorlton, at 0910 BST during a search of the area by police.
He was arrested on suspicion of murder and was subsequently detained under the Mental Health Act.
Manchester Crown Court heard that Barnwell, a friend of Mr Broomhead who also lived on Terrington Close, was a paranoid schizophrenic.
Philip Curran, prosecuting, said Barnwell had been watching Stargate SG1 the night before the attack and believed he had received messages telling him that James was Judas Iscariot and to "take him out".
He stabbed him repeatedly with a bread knife the next morning after staying up all night.
A post-mortem examination revealed James had suffered 73 stab wounds.