THE mother of a 17-year-old who stabbed Kian Tordoff to death said she had “too much kitchen stuff” to notice a knife had gone missing and still has not checked.

The killer, who cannot be named due to his age, is one of six defendants on trial at Bradford Crown Court (BCC) for the murder of 19-year-old Mr Tordoff, who was killed in John Street on October 10 last year.

He was stabbed five times after being chased by the 17-year-old, who was wielding two blades.

The teenager – who was 16 at the time – denies murder but has pleaded guilty to an alternative of manslaughter on “diminished responsibility” on account of his mental health at the time.

He told two psychiatrists that he had taken a kitchen knife from his home because the voice of a London man told him to protect himself.

This was after he had arranged to collect a phone belonging to one of the other defendants – Arbaz Khan – who dropped it during a large-scale street brawl on Westgate.

The boy’s mother took to the witness box on Tuesday and revealed she had concerns over her son’s behaviour as a young child aged under four.

She said in the months and weeks before the stabbings, her son reported hearing a voice and seeing a man, including chasing him on one occasion.

The mother claimed she would know if a kitchen knife had gone missing.

She said she had not noticed one missing, but admitted she did not check after her son’s arrest or since.

She added: “I have too much kitchen stuff.”

The mother also said she did not know there was a knife under the floor in the bathroom airing cupboard of her home and had never seen a machete sheath found at the scene with her son’s blood on it before.

Two friends also gave evidence and said the teenager started having mood swings in the past two years and became more isolated.

But all three said he never became violent when his character changed or he said he heard voices.

The other five defendants in the trial are: Arbaz Khan, 22 and Aizaz Khan, 27, both of Yew Tree Avenue in the Daisy Hill area, Amaad Shakiel, 20, of Leaventhorpe Lane, Adam Qayum, 23, of Avenel Road, Allerton and Mohammed Adil Hussain, 18, of Kite Mews, Lower Grange.

All men deny murder and the attempted murder of Matthew Page – known as Matthew Lowther – who was stabbed twice.

They all also deny a third count – wounding with intent - in relation to Mr Lowther.

The 17-year-old denies that too but pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding instead.

The trial continues.