Man admits stabbing grandfather

Cragie will be sentenced on Thursday

A man has pleaded guilty to killing a grandfather by stabbing him in the neck in a "frenzied attack".

Andrew Craigie, 27, of Stychfields, Stafford, admitted the manslaughter of Geoffrey Watkins on grounds of diminished responsibility.

Stafford Crown Court heard on Tuesday that Geoffrey Watkins, 61, was the former partner of Craigie's mother.

Mr Watkins, of Parkside, Stafford, died in June 2006 from wounds to his throat. Craigie will be sentenced on Thursday.

Det Insp Ronnie Walker, who led the investigation, said that Craigie had still visited Mr Watkins socially even after his mother's relationship had broken down with him.

Geoffrey Watkins died from wounds to his throat in June 2006

"This was a tragic set of circumstances that ended with a gentle, quiet man losing his life in a frenzied attack," said Det Insp Walker.

In a statement Mr Watkins's family described him as a "peaceful and well-liked man".

"Geoffrey was an intelligent and caring man who had a long life in front of him," they said.

"He was able to enjoy being a grandfather for less than three years and he was always talking about how much he loved his boys, now aged four and two years."