Former Lord of the Rings technician admits murdering his parents in Kensington

3 October 2019, 15:58

Former Lord of the Rings visual effects technician Sergey Koudryavtsev, 48, has pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to murdering his parents at their Kensington home.

Sergey Koudryavtsev, 48, stabbed his mother Tatiana, 68, and father Vladimir, 69, at the family home in Appleford Road, west London, on May 20.

Former university lecturer Mrs Koudriavtseva and her husband were found dead three days later after the defendant called police.

The defendant, who has dual Russian and New Zealand nationality, had argued with his parents over the care of his Mastiff dog.

At a hearing at the Old Bailey at which he represented himself, Koudryavtsev entered guilty pleas to the murders.

The court heard psychiatric reports had found he was fit to stand trial and enter pleas.

One report found that he acted out of "anger and rage" linked to his personality structure where he put his needs before any empathy towards his parents.

Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC also questioned the defendant about whether he accepted what he had done.

The defendant said he had considered killing his parents for three-and-a-half months as a "deterrent" but added: "I cannot say I was really planning. If you asked me the day before whether I would do it or not, I would say no definitely not.

"On the day I did it, I was fully conscious that was what I was doing."