Robert Ashman will not be giving evidence

Robert Ashman denies attempting to murder the Liberal Democrat MP for Cheltenham, Nigel Jones, on 28 January 2000.

Mr Jones's assistant, local councillor Andrew Pennington, died in the attack at the MP's weekly constituency surgery after being stabbed six times.

Ashman's lawyers announced on Wednesday they would be offering no evidence in his defence after psychiatrists said it would be "undesirable" for him to appear in the witness box.

Diminished responsibility

Ashman, 52, has admitted the manslaughter of 39-year-old Mr Pennington on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

But he denies attempting to kill Mr Jones, who suffered serious injuries to his hands after trying to grab the sword to stop Ashman.

Ashman has also denied an alternative charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Mr Jones told the jury at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday that Ashman lunged at him with the sword, intending to kill him.

On Wednesday the court heard psychiatrist Jacqueline Shorts opinion that it would be "undesirable" for Ashman to give evidence.

'No intent'

She said he was still suffering from a serious mental disorder, that giving evidence would cause a significant risk of it deteriorating and he would not do justice to himself under cross-examination.

Summing up the defence Edward Fitzgerald QC said it was admitted that Ashman killed Mr Pennington and unlawfully wounded Mr Jones but that there was no intent.

Mr Fitzgerald said: "He couldn't have started off with an intention to kill or he wouldn't have brought the letter."

He claimed Mr Jones was not a reliable witness and that Ashman's actions were sparked by what happened in the office.

He said the jury could not be sure of a lunge to the heart with an intent to kill.

The case continues.