A SON killed his father with a knife he threw from seven feet away, a court was told yesterday.

Joseph Freeman, 31, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Joseph Freeman Snr, 56, in September last year.

He was initially charged with murder, but the charge was dropped after he entered a guilty plea to the lesser charge at Newcastle Crown Court yesterday.

Robert Woodcock, prosecuting, told the court: "The position is the death of Mr Freeman, the father of this defendant, occured as a result of a single blow from a knife that was thrown by the defendant from a distance of possibly seven feet."

He went on to say Freeman's father was holding a baseball bat when the knife was thrown.

Mr Woodcock said the incident happened during a row at his home in Trent Drive, Jarrow, South Tyneside.

Mr Freeman was bleeding heavily when paramedics arrived at the scene and he later died.

Defence barrister Paul Sloan QC told the court how Freeman has been suffering from a mental disorder as a result of his alcohol dependence.

Freeman, of Severn Drive, Jarrow, who has 72 previous convictions, was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on May 5.