A BASINGSTOKE man who was due to stand trial for murder has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, after stabbing a Kempshott man just days after being released from prison for a knife offence.

Liam Darvill, 20, of Beaconsfield Road, in Fairfields, Basingstoke, appeared at Winchester Crown Court where he was awaiting trial for the murder of 31-year-old Dean Evans.

But the trial was abandoned after Darvill entered the guilty plea yesterday morning, admitting to manslaughter.

The court heard that Darvill had been released from prison on April 4, just four days before he stabbed Mr Evans, after being sentenced to 12 weeks in prison on February 23 by North Hampshire Magistrates’ Court for brandishing a knife or blade in public.

Mr Evans, from Kempshott, was found lying on the pavement in Benham Road, in Popley, at 5.30am on April 8 suffering from serious stab injuries.

The court heard how Darvill stabbed Mr Evans at a friend’s party. Mr Evans was taken to hospital but died a short time later.

William Mousley, defending Darvill, told the court that he had been asleep downstairs at Jodie Deans’ house – an ex-girlfriend of Mr Evans – when he was awoken by shouting upstairs between Ms Deans, Mr Evans and another person in the house, Thomas Harris.

He picked up a knife in the kitchen and went upstairs to a bedroom where he saw “a big man he knew nothing about”.

Darvill was unaware who Mr Evans was. Mr Mousley said: “He had no intention to kill and was acting in defence of himself and others.”

He added: “He admitted that he had a knife when going into the bedroom.”

Traces of Darvill’s blood were found in the bathroom upstairs, where he went to wash the knife after stabbing Mr Evans twice.

The court heard that he went to wash the knife again in the kitchen at Ms Deans’ house in Benham Road before running from the scene.

He returned to his own home, washed his clothes and at 10.10pm went to the police station to hand himself in.

The court heard initially Darvill was unaware he had stabbed Mr Evans and took photos of injuries he himself had obtained during the altercation with the deceased.

Prosecutor Adam Feest said: “This was not self-defence and even though Mr Evans may have started the fight, it was not him who finished.”

As Lord Justice Sweeney was shown the blade, gasps were heard in the courtroom from the public gallery.

Lord Sweeney said: “It is more than a momentary lack of control. No question that it is the lack of judgement in relation to harming a person without a weapon.”

A report read out by Mr Mousley, made by consultant psychologist Dr Paul Warren, noted Darvill had struggled with separation of his parents at a young age and had an attention deficit disorder.

It read: “He describes himself as anxious and frightened in ... busy, noisy environments. This would appear to explain at the time of the offence.”

Murder charges against Mr Harris were dropped on September 9. Darvill is due to be sentenced today.