Perth man on trial for murder told police he just wanted to stab him

A Perth man on trial over the stabbing death of his 50-year-old father told police he only wanted to hurt him but ‘must have took it too far’.

William Mathrew Rigden pleaded not guilty to murdering John Rigden at his Armadale home in May 2016, claiming unsoundness of mind.

In a bedside interview played to the judge-alone trial in the Supreme Court of Western Australia on Tuesday, the then 26-year-old told police he had been hearing voices in his head – including his father’s.

William Mathrew Rigden (pictured) pleaded not guilty to murdering John Rigden at his Armadale home in May 2016

Rigden said he heard voices that angered him until he wanted to hurt himself or someone else

Rigden said he heard voices that angered him until he wanted to hurt himself or someone else

They commented on what he was doing, were negative or ‘taking other sides’.

Rigden said the voices were relentless and angered him until he wanted to hurt himself or someone else.

He also told the officer he resented his father, who had called him a bastard since he was a child.

Rigden said he wanted to stab his dad in the arm ‘until the anger is gone’ and ‘unleashed’ after he walked into his parents’ house with a knife.

‘I didn’t want to kill the bloke,’ he said.

‘All I wanted to do was harm him until I was satisfied. He ended up dying.

‘I must have took it too far.’

Rigden said he was glad his father was dead, ‘looking back at what he’s done’, but also realised he wouldn’t stop hearing his voice.

‘He’s my father and he can’t not talk to me.’

Rigden said family members chased him out of the house after the attack and hit him with baseball bats.  

The trial continues.  

The trial continues at the Supreme Court of Western Australia (pictured) 

The trial continues at the Supreme Court of Western Australia (pictured) 

 

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