Son stabbed father to death outside home after row

A teenager who repeatedly stabbed his father to death told a 999 operator he would “rather watch him die” than help him, a jury has heard.

Ainsley Lowton has admitted to killing 44-year-old James Lowton with a kitchen knife outside their address in Tibshelf, Derbyshire, in May, but said he did so in self-defence and did not mean to kill him.

Derby Crown Court was told James had not come to the house to fight, but to try to repair his fractured relationship with his son, who is now 18.

Ainsley, of Addison Street, denies murder.

The court heard on Thursday how James was on bail following a domestic incident involving Ainsley's mother with a condition not to go to the address.

James and his mother continued to meet up during this time in an effort to continue their relationship.

One of the conditions, the prosecution said, was James patching things up with his son.

The prosecution said Ainsley's mother - who was out at the time - knew James was coming over to the property and told her son. To which he told her to "call the police".

The jury was shown doorbell camera footage of James arriving at the property to try and talk to Ainsley.

After an altercation on the driveway, the court heard there was a scuffle, and Ainsley produced a large kitchen knife after his father laughed at him when breaking free from a headlock.

Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, told the court: "James Lowton had not come to the house to fight, but to try to repair his fractured relationship with his son. Ainsley was not interested in that.

"By the time of the killing Ainsley hated his father. Ainsley considered that his father had ruined his life."

Ms Prior KC added that Ainsley was "fuelled with anger, resentment and frustration".

"His father was not posing any threat to him that day. He just wanted to talk. Ainsley had every right to say 'no' and every right to walk away," she said.

The jury heard, after James was stabbed, Ainsley said: “Why don’t you let go so I can put you out of you out of your misery.”

When asked about the comment and the one he made to the operator in police interview, he said he did not mean it and that he was angry.

The trial continues.

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