A PARANOID schizophrenic has been detained indefinitely for stabbing a neighbour to death because he played his music too loudly.

Warren Henson, 45, of Joel Street, Northwood Hills, stabbed Richard James 19 times in the chest and arm the day before the plumber was due to celebrate his 33rd birthday.

Residents were rocked by news of the attack in Mr James's neighbouring flat, reported in the Gazette at the time.

Henson and Mr James, who both suffered from mental health problems, had clashed on numerous occasions over the volume of Mr James's music.

In one incident, Henson had threatened the plumber with a baseball bat and shouted: 'I'm going to do you in'.

But on July 4, 2007, Henson flipped, kicking down Mr James's door and telling him to turn his stereo down, before briefly leaving the flat and returning with a kitchen knife.

The Old Bailey heard how, after his arrest, Henson told police he 'saw red' because of the loud music.

But when police tested the volume of the music in Mr James' flat, they found it could not have been heard by Henson.

During the case, the court heard how Henson was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 1980 and was a heavy drinker and cannabis user.

Prosecutor, Oliver Glasgow, said: "That certainly can exacerbate the symptoms. It's ill advised for a patient taking the medication he was on to drink or take cannabis in even small doses."

The court heard how Henson suffered 'paranoid and persecutory' auditory hallucinations.

He denied murder but admitted manslaughter due to diminished responsibility.

Ordering Henson to be detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act, Judge Richard Hawkins, said:

"The Crown was quite right to accept the plea. That was the appropriate course in light of your mental condition.

"No sentence helps the loved ones cope with the loss of a precious life."

Mr James's health problems were believed to have improved, and at the time of his death he had just started working in his brother's plumbing business.