by Julia Roberts

A former university student’s body lay undiscovered for nine days after he was stabbed to death in his home by a friend, a court heard.

Deke Partridge brutally inflicted 10 wounds on 34-year-old Tim Hutcheon’s back and side and left him to die, it was alleged.

Maidstone Crown Court was told both Partridge, 27, and Mr Hutcheon took drugs and had mental health problems.

The victim had a promising future after attending King’s School, Rochester, and went on to Humberside University, graduating in business studies and German.

Cairns Nelson, prosecuting, said it became clear Mr Hutcheon was using cannabis at university and later started to use cocaine.

In 1995, he was diagnosed as suffering from drug-induced mental illness. After admitting his drug problem to his family in 2003, he was under the care of mental health teams in Medway.

The prosecutor said Mr Hutcheon was killed during the afternoon or evening of January 26. His body was not found until February 4.

Articulate and intelligent, he lived alone at a one-bedroom bungalow in Dale Street, Chatham, since July last year.

He would be given fortnightly injections of anti-psychotic drugs. His finances were controlled by Medway Council to stop him spending his benefits all on drugs.

Partridge lived nearby at Manette House, Maidstone Road. He was on benefits and had suffered periods of mental illness.

The council paid Mr Hutcheon an allowance of £70 a week and he would pick up £10 every Monday.

But when Mr Hutcheon failed to collect his allowance the alarm was raised.

When his case worker and others went to the bungalow and broke in they found the body by the bed - with signs he had been dead "for some considerable time".

Partridge denies murder, claiming his friend was killed by someone else unknown.

The trial continues.