Jubilee Line ‘Terminator’ was insane, says shrink

A Tube passenger accused of attacking a business consultant with a machete in front of screaming commuters had been hearing voices for six weeks, a court heard.

James Porritt, 41, was on his way to work on the Jubilee Line when Ricky Morgan, 34, launched the attack in front of screaming passengers last 9 July.

Jurors heard Morgan swung a machete and cut Mr Porritt’s head, exposing his skull, his right hand and shin.

Giving evidence Mr Porritt likened the attacker to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ‘Terminator’, adding.

He said: ‘He was just like a machine.

‘Just like, what is that movie?

‘Basically like Terminator, that is exactly what it was like.

‘He was emotionless, he didn’t seem to have any kind of, no compassion.’

Foresnic psychologist Dr Frank Farnham, who examined Morgan, was asked by Warwick Aleeson, QC, defending, whether he ‘knew what he was doing was wrong and unlawful’.

Dr Farnham said Morgan had a ‘troubled childhood’ having been taken into foster care between the ages of 12 and 16.

Morgan told Dr Farnham that he first took cannabis when he was 12, but stopped when he was 18.

Farnham said Morgan felt that ‘the cannabis increased his paranoia’.

Morgan also has a history of cocaine use, taking crack from the age of 20 after his brother died in a traffic accident.

Dr Farnham said Morgan ‘probably has a personality disorder’, adding:

‘Heavy drinking, lockdown, isolation…are all important things that led to an acute mental crisis’, said Farnham.

Morgan told Dr Farnham that he ‘slept with the machete’ and he barricaded himself in his room six weeks before he was arrested as he was ‘fearful for his life.’

He started ‘hearing the voices of people I don’t get along with,’ the psychiatric said.

Before the Tube attack Morgan claimed he heard two people saying ‘he’s clocked us’, and heard the victim say, ‘don’t worry, we’ll do him now’ and ‘give it 20 seconds’.

Morgan told Dr Farnham: ‘People started calling me a terrorist, that really offended me. I thought I was being kidnapped.’

He also thought the police were going to execute him for being a terrorist.

Dr Farnham said he was inclined to believe Morgan may be suffering from schizophrenia.

Morgan has a previous conviction for having a firearm and one for assault on a police officer, the court heard.

Morgan, of no fixed address, denies attempted murder and two counts of having an article with a blade or point.

The trial continues.