A MAN accused of murdering his grandfather was not suffering from any mental illness at the time, a court heard.

Anthony Winter, 34, from Westborough Road, Westcliff, is alleged to have plunged a steak knife into his grandfather's chest during lunch at the pensioner’s home in Southend.

Prosecutors say he had been driven by a desire for revenge due to a belief his grandfather had abused a young relative. However, at Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday, consultant psychiatrist Dr Michael Alcock told the jury Winter was not a psychopath, had not displayed any signs of mental illness and had no history of violence.

Dr Alcock added: “There were no voices telling him what to do.” The doctor told the jury Winter told him he had a loathing of paedophiles and the trial has heard how Winter wanted to confront his grandfather over claims he had sexually abused a young relative.

During lunch at the flat, there was a comment which made his behaviour change for the worse. This triggered what Dr Alcock described as Winter’s “disassociative state”.

The doctor said: “He was on the outside looking in.”

Trial Judge Christopher Ball QC asked the doctor why Winter did not express any remorse or regret over what had happened.

Dr Alcock told him: “He was probably in a state of shock.”

Winter denies murdering his 84-year-old grandfather Jack Anker at the second-storey retirement flat at Stephen McAdden House, in Burr Hill Chase, Southend, on Thursday, November 14, last year.

Winter has admitted the attempted murder of his grandmother Pamela. The trial continues.