Mum-of-two killed by schizophrenic knifeman who tried to kidnap her kids while husband helplessly listened on the phone

A MUM-of-two was killed by a schizophrenic knifeman trying to abduct her kids, while her husband listened helplessly over the phone, a court has heard.

Defenceless Nicola Cross, 37, was stabbed to death by complete stranger Marcin Porczynski, who had smashed his way into the property in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, on September 14, 2015.

The brave mum had been trying to protect her two young children from the intruder, who was trying to make his way to where they slept, the court heard.

Her husband Daniel, who was away travelling, was forced to listen to the horrific ordeal after Nicola rang him in a panic.

He heard as his wife pleaded with the killer, listening to her bloodcurdling screams as she was stabbed ten times before the line fell ominously silent.

The Polish national was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia at the time and had been hearing voices telling him to "free" children or risk harm to his own family.

The attacker was stopped by police before he could leave the address with the youngsters.

During a hearing at St Albans crown court, Porczynski denied murder but admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, which was accepted by the prosecution.

He sobbed in the dock as a victim impact statement from Nicola’s devastated hubby was read to the court.

Daniel said he saw "no future happiness, no end to this trauma until my life comes to an end".

Four further charges of attempted kidnap, burglary and aggravated burglary were laid on file.

The widower was joined by 13 members of his wife’s family and friends in court.

Many could be heard softly sobbing as the details of the horrific crime were read out.

Prosecutor Chris Donnellan told the court how the mentally unstable attacker, 24, had been seen roaming the neighbourhood in the hours before the attack, knocking on doors and asking if there were children there.

Nicola called cops shortly before 11pm when Porczynski began peering through the windows of her house on Dunlin Road.

After initially being stopped by officers, who found him to be a "bit distant", he was allowed to return to his home on nearby Claymore Avenue.

But he returned to the area at around 11.30pm – this time armed with a knife.

At first he broke into the neighbouring address by accident and, while police responded to the reports of a burglary, officers heard a smash and screams from next door.

After breaking through the patio doors of Nicola’s home, Porczynski is said to have grabbed an even larger knife from the kitchen and gone upstairs.

Donnellan said it appeared the smaller knife was initially used to attack the mum-of-two, which was then discarded in favour of the large one.

Daniel, who was a distant witness to his wife's terrifying final moments, said in a statement: "That phone call plays over and over in my head, along with Nik's screams and her pleading for her life."

After the frenzied attack, Porczynski went up to one of the bedrooms where he laid the bloody knife on a side.

He then tried to carry the kids away but fortunately did not physically harm them, the court heard.

A neighbour heard one of the children telling their mother’s killer: "No, I don't want you here."

Officers stopped the defendant as he was on his way out of the house, reporting he appeared "vacant".

They then came across the kids at the bottom of the stairs, where one told them: "He has hurt my mummy badly."

The youngsters, who were said to be in a state of shock, were then kept in a room upstairs as officers attended to the mother, who was declared dead at the scene.

Daniel's statement continued: "I will never forgive myself for not being there to protect her."

Traces of cocaine and cannabis were found in the killer's bloodstream but the prosecution said it did not have a bearing on the attack.

The court was told the defendant had started behaving strangely three weeks before the killing, alarming a friend by talking frequently about things that hadn’t happened.

After his arrest, the court heard he claimed he believed he had to save the children, who were being "starved".

Porczynski will be sentenced on Monday.

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