A YOUNG man accused of murdering his older lover yesterday admitted responsibility for her death.
Robert Lynch, 23, is accused of battering “defenceless” Bernadette Doran, 45, to death with a wooden bannister.
The joiner denies murdering her at their flat on Chislehurst Avenue, Speke, on September 30, on the basis of diminished responsibility.
But yesterday the cannabis smoker and alcoholic admitted causing her death.
Lynch, who fidgeted, swore and ranted while speaking, told jurors he couldn’t remember what had happened and insisted he had been “insane” and in a “psychotic phase” at the time.
But he said: “Whatever happened to me, my friend paid the ultimate price.
“She’s not here, is she?
“I feel responsible totally. I need to take responsibility for what happened to her.”
Repeatedly calling Ms Doran “Sarah” to his barrister’s confusion, he added: “I’ve got to live with this for the rest of my life.
“I shouldn’t even be here, I feel lucky to be here. I can’t just roll over and die now, though, because I’ve made some sort of recovery.”
Lynch told the court he began to feel paranoid and suicidal after smoking strong cannabis during a visit to Amsterdam when he was 21.
On his return, he claimed he became withdrawn and depressed, but refused help from his parents because he didn’t want to go to a “loony bin”, instead “self-medicating” with alcohol.
His mother was close to tears as Lynch told how he began to hear voices adding: “I was suicidal, I made a noose, didn’t I. I didn’t mean to upset anyone.
“I apologise for what I’ve done.”
After he left the family home, he slept with friends and secretly in the loft before fellow alcoholic Ms Doran allowed him to stay with her.
When asked about her death, he said: “I know now what happened. I know it was obviously me that caused her death and I am very upset by this, but at the time I didn’t even know if I was asleep or awake to be honest.
“I was in a virtual nightmare, I didn’t even know it was her.”
Despite telling police following his arrest he had been acting in self-defence, Lynch yesterday admitted 4ft 9in Ms Doran had never attacked him.
The case continues.
