Killer knifed woman, 74, to death as she walked home from Lidl just hours after he told authorities he would murder a stranger if they didn't section him, court hears

A killer knifed a pensioner to death in broad daylight just hours after telling authorities he would murder a stranger if they didn't section him, a court heard.

Cameron Davis stabbed Lorna England, 74, at least twice in a park as she walked home from a routine shopping trip to Lidl for some flour, a jury was told.

The pair, who had never met, tragically crossed paths in Ludwell Valley Park in Exeter, Devon, in February last year. 

Just hours earlier, Davis, 31, of Exmouth, Devon, had been assessed by mental health workers and told them he would 'kill a random' if they released him.

After being told he wouldn't be sectioned, he left the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital around five hours Lorna was killed - buying two bottles of vodka and a kitchen knife on route.

Lorna was then stabbed in the neck and through the heart and despite the best efforts of horrified witnesses she was pronounced dead at the scene.

After a subsequent five hour manhunt, Davis was arrested for Lorna's murder and the court heard he told officers: 'I f***ing warned you c***s - that is why I f*****g done it - I didn't want to but none of you f*****g c***s listened.

'Why didn't they listen to me at the hospital - the people in the hospital should pay for this.

'The last thing I wanted to do - I cried out for help.'

Davis has admitted manslaughter but denied murder as he claims he was suffering an abnormality of mental function at the time.

Opening the case for the prosecution, Jo Martin KC said: 'At about 3pm on Saturday afternoon, 18 February 2023, Lorna England headed out from home for a walk through Ludwell Valley Park.

'She was a fit 74-year-old who liked to get her 10,000 steps in and set out to walk across the park to Lidl to get some flour.

'Her husband of 52 years David decided stay at home. She got to Lidl about 3.30pm, did her shopping and with a small rucksack on her back started to head to home It was a perfectly normal day.

'What followed was something that no-one could contemplate could happen on that crisp February afternoon here in Exeter. No one except one man - the defendant Cameron Davis.

'Because at about 3.55pm in a wooded area of Ludwell Valley Park, Cameron fatally attacked Lorna England with a knife - she died at the scene.

'You can be sure that Cameron Davis killed Lorna - someone she never met - as she pleaded guilty to killing her - he pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

'But Cameron Davis is charged with murder. The unlawful killing of someone with the intention to cause or cause them serious bodily harm.

'There is no dispute that Cameron Davis clearly intended to kill or at the very least cause her really serious bodily harm.

'He stabbed her at least twice, one slices across her neck, which wasn't fatal in itself, but the other a stab wound into her chest and heart to a depth of about 12cm was fatal.

'She also had very bad cuts to her hand where she had attempted to defend herself.'

Ms Martin says the issue in the case for the jury to decide was whether he was so mentally unwell at the time that his rational thinking or ability to control his actions were substantially impaired because of a mental illness. 

She said the prosecution case was that he instead had a 'personality disorder' that 'when combined with drug and alcohol abuse leads to a manipulative and angry man.'

'This case will largely focus on the pshyscitric issue,' she added.

The court heard at the time Davis was living in temporary accomodation and had been homeless on and off for a couple of years.

He was known to mental health services and spent time in prison.

He was supported by the housing support team and in January 2023 began to talk about 'either killing himself or someone else.'

On 28 January - two psychiatrists assessed him and determined he did not need to be sectioned. He became immediately angry with the doctors, Ms Martin told the jury.

His housing team gave him seven days notice to leave.

At 4.41am on the morning of Lorna's death, Cameron Davis called police and said unless he was arrested he was going to get petrol and set fire to his accommodation to commit suicide.

He said he had taken an overdose of valium and the ambulance service was sent out just gone 5.30am.

Ms Martin added: 'Police arrived at the same time. The ambulance crew found him sitting on pavement outside. He said he wanted to burn his flat down and said he was going to kill someone if he was discharged that day.

'He said he had committed other crimes in the past and always got away with it

'He told the ambulance crew he wanted help with mental health and said if he was dischagred he would kill a random person.'

Davis was taken to hospital and seen about 11am that morning by mental health services and again spoke about how he was going to kill someone.

'He said although he knew his thoughts were wrong he quite enjoyed them,' Ms Martin added.

'He was told if he did do anything it would be a pre-meditated crime - his response - the police could never pin anything on him.

'The decision was taken that he did not need to be admitted to hospital. When told he got up, put his jacket on and walked out of the hospital.'

The jury heard he then went to a store to buy several items including a bottle of vodka and later went to Lidl where he bought another bottle and a large kitchen knife.

He is later seen on CCTV walking across Ludwell Park ending up at the back of Wonford Sports Centre.

At one point, a member of staff came out and spoke to him and he told her he intended to hang himself.

He went into the Wonford Sports Centre at one point and asked if he could make a phone call and called his mother for about ten minutes.

After the stabbing, a dog walker coming from the other direction said she saw the altercation and 'heard a woman cry out and fall to the ground.'

She dialled 999 at 3.58pm and shouted for help others around the park.

Ms Martin added: 'In the immediate aftermath - there was confusion, other members of the public arrived on scene and did all they could to help Lorna.

The air ambulance arrived but Lorna was declared dead at 4.44pm

A manhunt for Davis was then launched and he was eventually arrested at 9.30pm sitting outside a bank in Exeter city centre.

He then made a series of comments about blaming others for not heeding his warnings.

The court heard he said: 'She didn't die - please tell me she didn't die - I didn't know she died - f**k I can't live with that.'

The trial continues.