A Ramsgate man killed a friend because "the spirits told me to" and then confessed to what he had done in written notes two weeks later.

Andrew Rowe claimed he was deaf when he went to into the town’s police station and confessed about the death of pal Philip Pennelegion.

Canterbury Crown Court heard that the 33-year-old had written how he battered his friend to death with a hammer two weeks earlier.

But Rowe, of North Court, Allenby Road, has been sent to a secure mental hospital after admitting manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Judge Adele Williams said: “This case is more about human tragedy rather than wickedness.”

The court heard how in September last year he had walked into the police station and confessed to the killing.

Prosecutor William Hughes said his admission, made in writing, was that he was responsible for killing Mr Pennelegion.

Police officers later found Mr Pennelegion’s house keys in a car driven by Rowe who had claimed he was deaf.

At 3.10pm on September 8 a police community support officer went to the address and when he received no answer looked into the bedroom and found the victim’s badly decomposed body.

Mr Hughes said that when he was questioned by senior officers Rowe refused to speak and would only communicate in written notes.

The prosecutor said that it was only in the third interview that Rowe broke his silence and admitted what he had done.

He said he had known Mr Pennelegion for 10 years and would sometimes live at his home – the rest of the time he spent in a tent in Barham Wood near Canterbury.

Mr Hughes said that Rowe revealed that the victim had supported Rowe financially – although the two fell out over religious arguments.

Rowe would say he was spiritual and Mr Pennelegion wasn’t – and that had led to tension between the two.

Mr Hughes said Rowe couldn’t give a reason for the killing but claimed he felt he was being “tested spiritually”.

He went into a room where his friend was sleeping, placed a cushion over his head and hit him with a hammer.

At some point, the prosecutor added, Mr Pennelegion moved his arms and begged his friend to halt the attack.

Mr Hughes said that Rowe twice returned to the room to continue the eight-minute attack – once stuffing a towel into the victim’s mouth.

After the killing Rowe dumped the blood-soaked hammer near a supermarket – and then began writing confessions, which were later discovered in a bin near his home.

The court heard he continued to live in the property with the body for two weeks before going to the police station and confessing.

Charles Sherrard QC said psychiatrists concluded Rowe, who has a history of violent attacks, suffers from a psychotic illness.

“This case is more about human tragedy rather than wickedness" - Judge Adele Williams

But Rowe refused to believe he was ill and has refused to take anti-psychotic medicine.

Judge Williams in making a Section 37 order under the Mental Health Act, said that Rowe believed “the spirits had told him to carry out the killing”.

She added: “I have read three psychiatric reports all of which say you are suffering from a psychotic disorder and your ability to form rational judgments was substantially impaired at the time of the attack.”

Judge Williams said Rowe will only be freed when the Secretary of State “deems it safe to release you.. although you may never be released.”