A MAN warned a care home worker he had “taken matters into his own hands” minutes after killing his dementia-suffering mother, a court heard.

Robert Knight, 52, is accused of murdering his mother June Knight, 79, in Langley Lodge Nursing Home, in Imperial Avenue, Westcliff, in December last year.

Knight admits he killed his mother but argues he had lost his self-control when he pushed her off a balcony and so did not murder her.

Katie Bowhay, 23 who worked as health care assistant at the care home told Basildon Crown Court yesterday she spoke to Knight minutes after the incident.

She said: “I was working and suddenly heard the alarm go off, lights were flashing on the alarm system, so something was wrong upstairs.

“I saw the fire escape door open and I heard a noise, like someone dropping a brick on cement.

“I thought someone had dropped something from a table.

“I then saw Robert Knight coming through the fire escape door from the outside.

“He was holding both his hands by his head as if to say sorry.

“I thought he’s just gone out for air.

“He said: ‘I have killed my mother.’

“I asked him what he has actually done and he said: ‘I could not bare it any longer, I got her out of bed, took her outside, said my goodbyes and chucked her off the balcony.’

“He said he knew he was going to prison and that his life would be over when she died so he took matters into his own hands.”

Miss Bowhay said she could see the woman laying on the ground and covered her with sheet.

She described Mr Knight as a “lovely” and “intelligent” man.

The care worker said Knight told them he did not want to jeopardize the reputation of the care home.

The court heard he also praised the care home for how his mother had been treated.

Mrs Knight fell 13 and a half feet from the balcony at the care home to the ground, resulting in multiple severe injuries.