AN 81-year-old father accused of murdering his wife used five knives and a bat to attack her – with blood spattered across the home, a court heard.

Robert Lewis is accused of killing his wife Janet Lewis in Padgetts Way, Hullbridge.

The 81-year-old is alleged to have killed his 76-year-old wife by stabbing her in the neck on September 1, 2019.

The case was heard at Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday and the jury was told how blood covered most rooms of the house after the attack.

Prosecuting Andrew Jackson told the court the number of weapons found were covered in blood belonging to both Lewis and his wife.

Judith Cunnison, forensic scientist, gave evidence and said there had been a commotion throughout the home.

She said: “There were signs of a disturbance at the home with Mr Lewis’ pyjamas on the floor and ornaments tipped over in the spare room.

“There was extensive blood in the upper and ground floor areas of the home, with most around the stairs, walls, master bedroom, landing and carpet.

“There were also blood stains and smear marks in the kitchen and lounge and some of these were spots that were forced on the walls from a moving object – possibly a bleeding arm.

“On the landing carpet we found more than a hundred large blood drips.”

Lewis denies murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility. while the couple’s son Paul Lewis took to the dock on Wednesday and insisted his mother never feared for her safety.

Paul Lewis said up to 2019 he would visit his parents once a week and in the run up to August 2019 there would be times where his father would forget things.

Mrs Cunnison added: “Some of the stains of blood were from blowing into wet blood and some were splatters from an impact against an ottoman box.

“There could have been another assault on the landing when she was on there after leaving the bedroom.”

The court also heard a rope was found in the loft and Mr Lewis had fallen before he was treated in the hallway by medics.

Police and paramedics, as well as an air ambulance, were called to the scene at roughly 1.50pm, but Janet Lewis was pronounced dead at the scene.

He also stabbed himself in the chest six times and tried to hang himself after killing his wife, the court case has heard.

The trial continued at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday and the jury heard how Lewis suffered six stab wounds and attempted to hang himself.

Giving evidence in the court, Dr Series, an old age psychiatrist, said: “He had stabbed himself in the chest and had six wounds.

“He also tried to hang himself and had fallen down. He also had a broken hip and two neck fractures.

“There was also lots of blood found at the home by investigating teams and officers.

“There was some evidence on his brain of a small stroke and we could see brain shrinkage.

“His cognitive ability was diminished and he was very worried.

“Had went through the addenbrooke test to check his mental health and ability and various tests and checks were done.

“His attention ability was good but his memory was lower than that of a normal healthy person.”

On Thursday the court heard how Lewis used five knives and a bat to attack her – with blood spattered across the home and signs of a disturbance.

Dr Series added: “We tested him naming items with a given letter and this was not brilliant and was impaired.

“He had asked to be taken off some medication as he claimed it made him more confused and was once reluctant to be assessed.”

The court also heard a rope was found in the loft and Mr Lewis had fallen before he was treated in the hallway by medics.

Police and paramedics, as well as an air ambulance, were called to the scene at roughly 1.50pm, but Janet Lewis was pronounced dead at the scene.

The trial continues.