September 20, 2021 12.36 pm This story is over 30 months old

Man admits attempted murder of old school friend in Heckington

He will be sentenced after psychiatric reports
The man in question arranged to see the victim at Heckington Train Station. | Photo: Google Street View
By Local Democracy Reporter

A Lincolnshire man who attacked an old school friend with a kitchen knife has pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted murder.

Christopher Thompson, 23, will be sentenced in November after a judge adjourned his case for a further psychiatric report.

Lincoln Crown Court heard previously how Thompson attacked Petras Cirtautas with the knife after arranging to meet him at Heckington railway station on August 10 last year.

At the time of the offence Thompson appeared to be suffering from a psychotic episode and spoke of the “after life”, the court was told.

Earlier this year a jury found Thompson had attempted to murder his friend after being told he could not enter a plea to the charge because of his mental health issues.

Following his trial Thompson was transferred to a mental health hospital but after further treatment it was decided Thompson was able to enter a plea.

Thompson, previously of Heckington Road, Great Hale, appeared at Lincoln Crown Court on July 9 and pleaded guilty to the charge of attempted murder and a second offence of possessing a bladed article.

He was returned to prison following his guilty pleas and was due to be sentenced this month at Lincoln Crown Court.

However defence barrister, Jeremy Jaines, told the court he would like sentence on Thompson to be adjourned for a further psychiatric report on his client and to consider a hospital order.

Mr Jaines said it was clear from all the witnesses on the day of the offence that Thompson may have been suffering from mental health issues.

He added that Thompson’s condition had deteriorated since being returned to prison from hospital.

Judge Simon Hirst agreed to the request, noting there appeared to be a medical consensus that Thompson was suffering from a psychotic episode on the day of the offence which was exacerbated by stress and the misuse of drugs.

Sentence was adjourned until November 5 and Thompson was remanded back into custody, but Judge Hirst warned him: “You know in the absence of a hospital order a very lengthy custodial sentence awaits you.”

In a witness statement Mr Cirtautas, also known as Peter, described how Thompson had been talking about the after life prior to the attack and then handed him a penknife.

The two men had previously attended St George’s School in Sleaford and were old friends, the court was told.

The incident occurred after Mr Cirtautas travelled by train from Sleaford to Heckington.

Mr Cirtautas was taken to the home of two off duty police officers after Thompson produced the kitchen knife and stabbed him in the chest.

The blow punctured Mr Cirtautas’s lung and he fell to the floor.

Judge Hirst also ordered an updated victim impact statement to establish the extent of Mr Cirtautas’s recovery since the attack.