A son who fatally stabbed his “loving” mum in the neck before daubing his name in blood on the road as he fled has been handed an indefinite hospital order.

Jamie Burnett killed his mother Lesley Spearing at her home in Oast View Terrace, Rainham, in October 2019.

Burnett, who was 27 at the time of the attack and suffers from schizophrenia and psychosis, attacked his mum with a serrated knife before stamping on her and fleeing the scene.

In March, the now 32-year-old was cleared of murder by a jury after 10 hours of deliberation but was found guilty of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.

He reappeared before Maidstone Crown Court for sentencing earlier today (May 21).

Judge Philip St John-Stevens explained how psychiatric reports claimed Ms Spearing’s son had been suffering a psychotic episode at the time of the attack — more than five-and-a-half years after the crime — and thought the person he stabbed was “an imposter”.

He cited the fact he wrote his name in blood on the road as he ran away from the scene as an example of his ill mental health.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge St John-Stevens said: “This has had a profound impact on your family. Lesley Spearing was an immensely strong, loving and supportive mother and aunt.

“The loss of her life has left an unfillable void in their lives.

“There are no words or sentence which can bring back Lesley Spearing or explain what happened that day.”

During his trial, Burnett’s aunt, and Ms Spearing’s sister, Susan Nash, gave evidence about how during Christmas time in 2018, she had called the police after seeing Burnett with his hands around Ms Spearing’s neck and said he was then admitted to hospital.

She explained that following the incident, a meeting was held between interested parties where it was decided the defendant could not live with his mother as his behaviour was too “volatile”.

He instead lived in supported accommodation in Chatham but would still contact and visit his family members.

Ms Nash said Ms Spearing spoke with her son’s care coordinator in the days leading up to her death as she was told they were going to stop Burnett’s injections used to treat his psychosis.

She told the court: “Lesley said he was really unwell and needed help and they could not stop his injections because of how his behaviour was.

“She asked them not to tell Jamie she had phoned because she was scared about what he would do.”

However, his doctors did tell Burnett of the conversation and Ms Nash said he went “mental” when he found out and shouted at Ms Spearing, telling her she had “ruined [his] life”.

Ms Nash added: “He said ‘I am going to be doing life, throw away the key this is my life now’.”

Three days later, the sisters visited Burnett at his flat, as he was concerned someone was breaking in while he was sleeping and stealing his tobacco.

While there, he asked his aunt whether she knew “how to stab someone” and explained to her he knew how to cause “maximum damage” and that “you stick it in and twist it”, the court was told.

The court also heard that Ms Spearing’s younger son Stephen Burnett and niece Kiri Burnett were at the property when she was stabbed by the defendant.

Ms Burnett told the jury she heard “screaming” and immediately ran towards the noise where she saw her cousins “wrestling” in the kitchen and Burnett was holding a knife.

At today’s hearing the judge ordered Burnett be sentenced to a hospital order under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act.

It means he will remain at the Trevor Gibbens Unit in Maidstone where he will be treated and can be released in the future. If he is released it will be under strict conditions.

Judge St John-Stevens thanked everyone involved in the “tragic” case.