Man pleads guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility

A man has been sentenced after he killed a person who took him into his home while he was experiencing difficulties with his mental health last year.

Graham Janes, 50, of Peartree Drive, in Chard, Somerset, pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility and actual bodily harm and was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday 5 November.

Janes was experiencing a decline in his mental health when he was taken in by 43-year-old Colin Lawson and his family on Friday 22 August 2025.

Colin, who lived in Mare Lane, South Petherton, suffered from severely impaired vision and was fatally attacked at his home in front of his loved ones.

Colin has been described as ‘kind, loving, intelligent and caring’ and sustained multiple injuries and including stab wounds. Despite the best efforts of police and paramedics, he sadly died of his injuries at the scene.

Dominic Redding, whose mother, Josephine, was in a relationship with Colin at the time of the incident, suffered an injury to his arm when he tried to intervene during the attack.

Janes was initially arrested and charged with murder but following an assessment by consultant forensic psychiatrists, it was agreed his state of mental health substantially contributed to his actions at the time. He therefore pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.

Josephine Redding outlined the impact Colin’s death has had on her in a statement she bravely read in court, which said: “I first met Colin in 2011, but we reconnected in 2020. We spent the next five years together, and they were the happiest years of my life.

“Colin was kind, loving, intelligent and caring. He always put other people before himself and had a way of making everyone feel valued, supported and safe. He was my partner, my best friend and the person I trusted more than anyone else. Losing Colin has broken my heart.

“For the first time in my life, I felt completely loved, safe and understood. He was my greatest source of support and the person I wanted to grow old with. We had hoped to marry and spend the rest of our lives together. As Colin was gradually losing his sight, we knew our time together was precious and never took a single day for granted.

“The future we planned, the memories we should have made and the life we should have shared have all been taken from us.”

Dominic Redding also spoke of the grief he has experienced since Colin’s death. He said: “Colin was the only real father figure I have ever had in my life. He made me feel safe, and I knew I could talk to him about anything. Whenever I had problems or was struggling, he would sit with me for hours, listen to me, and help me work things out. He understood me better than most people ever have. I looked up to him and saw him as both a dad and one of my best friends.

“Colin was also a great role model for my brother, my sister and my daughter. He always made time for her, playing with her, making her laugh and making her feel loved.

“The hardest thing for me is knowing that I can never talk to Colin again. Whenever I need advice, support or reassurance, he is no longer there. I miss him every single day. I am heartbroken that he has been taken from my mum, my brother, my sister, my daughter, and me.”

DC Stephanie Craig, the investigating officer from our Major Crime Investigation Team, said: “This has been an extremely sad and distressing case, but what has been incredibly clear since the beginning, is that Colin was loved deeply by his family who miss him terribly.

“Colin did everything he could in his final moments to keep his loved ones safe, and we are grateful for their courage in supporting this investigation which will have been traumatic for them.

“We should also commend the courage of Dominic Redding, who bravely intervened in what will have been an incredibly frightening situation and was injured in doing so. We offer our condolences to Colin’s family at what will be an extremely emotional time, and we sincerely hope they’re able to rebuild their lives.”