A son accused of murdering his elderly dad accepts causing the injuries found on the 79-year-old.
David Lavender allegedly killed Anthony Lavender at their home in Old Swan on December 29 last year.
The 37-year-old digital marketing specialist is yet to enter any formal plea over the death of Mr Lavender.
READ MORE: Murder accused says 'more should've been done' for man he stabbed
Liverpool Crown Court today heard psychiatrists must first evaluate whether he is fit to enter a plea and whether he may potentially have a partial defence of diminished responsibility.
Police were called to Mr Lavender's house in Woodhall Street shortly before midnight and found the pensioner with a serious head injury.
Paramedics from North West Ambulance Service fought to save his life and performed CPR, but Mr Lavender died at the scene.
Lavender appeared in court this morning, via video link from HMP Altcourse, for a plea and trial preparation hearing.
He spoke only to confirm his personal details and was not invited to enter a plea to the charge, at the request of his lawyers.
Michael O'Brien, defending, said Lavender's solicitors had instructed a psychiatrist to complete a report by March 21.
Judge Neil Flewitt, QC, said: "That would be a report to address his fitness to plead and potentially any partial defence to the allegation of murder."
Mr O'Brien replied: "Yes, diminished responsibility."
He told the court: "Mr Lavender accepts causing the injuries found on his father."
Mr O'Brien said defence lawyers were still awaiting the findings of a second post-mortem examination, and "the link the pathologist makes between the injuries and the ultimate cause of death".
Gordon Cole, QC, prosecuting, asked for a provisional murder trial, listed for June 13 this year, to be put back two weeks.
Judge Flewitt fixed the trial for June 27.
He said Lavender would next appear at a further case management hearing on April 8 and remanded him in custody until that date.
Mr Lavender's family paid tribute to him on Wednesday, January 5 - on what would have been his 80th birthday.
They said: "Tony, our beloved brother and uncle, should have celebrated his 80th birthday today, but tragically, it was not to be.
"Tony was a kind and generous man who lived his life to the full and will be missed by all those who knew him.
"As a family, we would like to extend our thanks to the officers and paramedics who tried to save Tony, and to say thank you to his friends and neighbours for their beautiful words and the floral tributes left for him.
"We will make sure that Tony is not forgotten."
Mr Lavender's family have asked for privacy as they grieve for their loss.
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