Cardiff hit-and-run: Paranoid schizophrenic Matthew Tvrdon went on 'journey of mayhem'

Paranoid schizophrenic Matthew Tvrdon, 31, admitted the manslaughter of Karina Menzies through diminished responsibility last month

Karina Menzies, who was killed in Cardiff (PA)

A man who admitted killing a mother-of-three during a series of hit-and-run incidents in Cardiff, went on a "journey of mayhem", a court has heard.

Paranoid schizophrenic Matthew Tvrdon, 31, admitted the manslaughter of Karina Menzies through diminished responsibility last month and is expected to be sentenced tomorrow.

Ms Menzies was knocked down and killed during 30 minutes of mayhem in Cardiff, south Wales, in October last year.

In a dramatic final act, she threw the two daughters who were with her to safety but was unable to save herself.

A crippling nerve condition meant that she could not run away and was mown down and killed outside the city's Ely Fire Station.

Judge Wyn Williams heard how Tvrdon, of no fixed abode, began his 'journey of mayhem' after leaving the West End Social Club at around 3.28pm last October.

His spree of hit-and-runs covered a distance of eight miles prompting panic along Cardiff's suburban streets mounting curbs and mowing down people in his Iveco van.

As pedestrians frantically dived for cover a total of 14, half of them children, were hit and injured. Only Ms Menzies lost her life

Family and friends of the victims crowded into the court last month to hear Tvrdon's guilty pleas.

In addition to manslaughter he admitted seven counts of attempted murder, two of grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent and two of attempted GBH.

He also admitted four counts of causing actual bodily harm and one of dangerous driving

Tvrdon appeared at the hearing via videolink from Ashworth high security psychiatric hospital in Maghull, Merseyside.

Ian Murphy QC, prosecuting, said he would consult with the victims and their families to decide whether the pleas were acceptable.

Rejection of the pleas could have meant that Tvrdon had to stand trial for murder and associated offences.