Man admits murdering disabled friend

The friend of a tetraplegic whose throat was slit has admitted murder.

Eric Neil Smail of Sumner made a brief appearance at the Christchurch District Court yesterday to admit murdering former Paralympic athlete Keith McCormick on July 28 last year, The Press reported.

McCormick, 56, was only able to move his head from side to side and was dependent on 24-hour nursing care, including from Smail, a friend of 20 years.

In the hours leading up to his murder, Smail, 48, had been heard by acquaintances vowing to kill Mr McCormick, but nobody believed he was serious.

After stabbing Mr McCormick six times in the neck -- almost the only part of his body where he could still feel pain -- Smail rang friends and said he had killed him, prosecutor Andrew McRae said earlier at a depositions hearing.

Nobody believed him until his sister went to the house and found Mr McCormick dead in his wheelchair, with one neck wound 205mm long and 125mm deep.

He was due to stand trial later this year, but yesterday his lawyer, Tim Fournier, told the court his client was pleading guilty.

Smail will be sentenced in the High Court in Christchurch on May 5.

- NZPA