LAWYERS representing Jason Voong are seeking to reduce culpability for charges of murder and attempted murder on grounds of diminished responsibility.

Voong, 28, of Southbrook Street Extension, Swindon, appeared late at a court hearing in Bristol yesterday whenhe was due to indicate a plea to accusations of the murder of Aulton ‘Tom’ Rogers and attempted murder of Leanne James earlier this year.

Tom died during the night of Thursday, June 26, after being stabbed 20 times, and Leanne was treated in hospital after a blow to the head in May.

Both incidents occurred close to the underpass between the Oasis Leisure Centre and the town centre.

Voong was guarded by four prison officers, and appeared confused and disoriented when asked to confirm his name.

After hearing he could be suffering from historic psychiatric issues, Judge Neil Ford adjourned the plea hearing until a date in November to be confirmed.

Michael Fitton, defending, said: “The position is that we have seen the defendant while in custody and we have received a preliminary report on Friday.

“I do not yet have approval to disclose that report. In expectation that he will consent to its disclosure, what is thought at this stage is there may be evidence to a state of schizophrenia.

“In medical records going back to 2005 there is an indication to a period of treatment, and we are informed by the GP that, and I quote, ‘We are seeing an early and partly masked schizophrenia’.

“With that in mind we are asking for more information.

“Both he and those repesenting him have found it very difficult to obtain that information from the defendant himself. What is proposed is he should seek a placement in hospital with an admission for assessment.”

The defence hope Voong can be moved from prison to Fromeside Clinic in Bristol for a more detailed assessment of his mental state.

“The potential defence of diminished responsibility is the situation we are investigating,” added Mr Fitton.

“At the moment we do not know when we will be in a position to seek a transfer to hospital to get a placement or get an admission to hospital through a court order rather than through the Home Office.

“We are seeking assessment from a professional colleague as a second opinion before seeking to persuade toward a transfer to Fromeside.

“I am asking for the court to adjourn the plea and case management hearing to a date in mid-November.

“In relation to the murder charge everything hangs on the first line of defence. We cannot predict the development of the second charge until we know how the first charge will develop.

“The difficulty is the mental state of the defendant.

“There is an indication he has been like this since 2005 when he was first ill. By ill I mean locked in, and he simply doesn’t communicate. It is going to take a period of assessment of at least a couple of months before they are confident to commit themselves to the report.”

Any trial date will not be made until next January at the earliest, as the prosecution will pursue confirmation of Voong’s mental capacity.

Ian Lawrie, prosecuting, said: “We now need to do our own examination or assessment and that will also take some time.”