A MENTALLY ill woman told a support worker she wanted to kill - hours before stabbing someone in the back.

Sarah-Jane Hall stabbed Eden James with a kitchen knife in an alleyway close to Southampton train station.

Hall had told the worker that “the voices had become worse” and asked to be sectioned.

Hours later the 33-year-old assaulted her victim, running at her from behind and attacking her with the blade.

Hall, who pleaded guilty to attempted murder, has now been detained under the Mental Health Act.

Prosecuting, Stuart Ellacott said: “The worker asked how she was, she said the voices were very bad that day and she wanted to kill someone.

“She said she wanted to be sectioned, 'I want to kill someone then myself'.”

Mr Ellacott told the court the worker called a senior member of staff who had previous dealings with Hall and was told that Hall had made comments of this nature before.

Later on the morning of May 16 the worker took Hall, of Bourne Road, Southampton, to McDonald's and believed she was calmer.

But the court was told when the worker’s time with Hall came to an end Hall said she still wanted to kill someone with a knife and it would be an “innocent person”.

The worker contacted a senior member of staff again, but no further action was taken.

Mr Ellacott told the court how Ms James was heading towards Southampton train station when Hall stabbed her.

Mr Ellacott said: “As she was walking she became aware of someone stood there.

"The girl did not take a huge amount of interest, but said the person was a bit off but nothing too endangering.

“She just continued her way towards the station. She then heard running behind her and felt a blow to her back.

“To begin with she believed she was punched but she turned around and saw Ms Hall holding a kitchen knife, and she asked 'what did you do that for?'”

Immediately Ms James sought help and police and paramedics rushed to help her. She was taken to Southampton General Hospital where the wound to her back required two stitches.

Hall was arrested later that day.

Mitigating, Keeley Harvey said Hall had mental health issues, including schizophrenia, learning difficulties, Down's syndrome, paranoia and depression, and called for a hospital order to be made.

Winchester Crown Court also heard she was of previous good character with no previous convictions, and that her stepfather had killed her mother by strangling her.

She described Hall as someone who lived alone who was isolated and needed help.

Ms Harvey said: "She desperately wanted help, she was trying to say 'I need someone to take me to hospital, I can't take this anymore'."

Judge Keith Cutler gave Hall a hospital order.

He said: “What happened was very, very worrying and serious because it was a 20-year-old girl who was just walking down the alleyway and you ran up behind her with a knife and you intended to kill her.

“As it was the blow with the knife was not serious, but the effects on her are very, very worrying in that she has been turned into a nervous wreck.”

Judge Cutler said that Hall had “many problems” and that medical reports show that “quite a lot of work” is needed to be done to help her.

Judge Cutler made an interim hospital order and Hall was remanded into custody.