ANTHONY Marsh was mentally ill when he savagely killed his partner and baby daughter, a court heard today.

Marsh was suffering from a psychotic illness when in a frenzy he stabbed Stephanie Bellinger, 24, and ten-moth-old Lili at their home in Myrtle Avenue, Totton, last February.

The trial at Winchester Crown Court heard from Dr Frank Farnham, consultant forensic psychiatrist, who twice examined Marsh when he was being held at Broadmoor Hospital in June.

The prosecution alleges Marsh, 22, was fully responsible for his actions. Marsh denies two counts of murder.

Dr Farnham said: "In my opinion Mr Marsh was, at the time of the killings, suffering from an abnormality of mind due to a disease. Mental illness is a disease. In many respects it's like a physical illness. His loss of contact with reality was associated with psychosis and would have led to mental confusion and loss of control of his actions."

But prosecution expert Dr Richard Badcock disagreed, saying Marsh was responsible for his actions even though he had an abnormal state of mind at the time of killings.

Proceeding.