Robert Parkins claimed he “accidently” killed dad Alex Fitzpatrick when he was featured in 24 Hours in Police Custody on Monday night.

The programme, entitled Murder on the Doorstep, showed Parkins in a police cell after his arrest. He said people would be shocked to hear what had happened as it was “totally out of character”.

Parkins, formerly of Darrington Close, in Eaton Socon, St Neots, is serving a 19-year jail term for the murder of Alex Fitzpatrick on October 13, 2019.

Viewers heard Alex received 15 stab wounds to his lungs, back, neck, spine and buttocks and several of the wounds were potentially fatal.

A 999 call was also played in which a call handler is heard giving advice to people at the scene and there are cries of "Alex stay with me" in the background as the emergency services race to the scene.

The programme contained some distressing scenes, including paramedics attempting to save Alex, aged 30, as he lay on the road, in Prince Close, Eaton Socon, fighting for his life. He was declared dead at 6.20pm.

The events leading up to the tragic event, started with an argument between Alex and his former partner, Kelly. Police describe an "altercation" between the pair when Alex came to the door to return his son's glasses. The couple were estranged and Kelly was with a new partner, Robert Parkins.

Parkins and Alex then began fighting and Parkins said Alex struck him with a motorcycle helmet. The fight then spilled out onto the road.

Parkins told police he was defending himself, but after repeatedly stabbing Alex, he ran off. CCTV footage shows him running in nearby roads.

Police suspected he may be hiding at his parents' home in Darrington Close and so armed police are sent to the address, but the house is empty.

A car belonging to Parkins' parents, Arthur and Janet, is tracked via the automatic number plate recognition service and the vehicle is shown travelling down the A1 to north London and then returning north on the A1 shortly afterwards.

Janet and Arthur initially tell police they have no idea where their son is and deny taking him to London and are arrested.

The house in north London is the address of Parkins' auntie Brenda and police raid the house and discover Parkins hiding in a bedroom. He is arrested at 3.10am.The auntie claims she had no idea he was there.

Arthur later tells police, Parkins had phoned his mum in a panic and told them "he had just lost it". When he knocked at their door, he said he had been "attacked" and "had to defend himself".

Janet says Parkins told her he'd been attacked and said Alex hit him round the head with the crash helmet. He told her "I think I hurt him bad mum".

Janet described Parkins as a "rock" and a lovely, helpful boy" and said she and Arthur acted out of love for their son.

She said: "Any loving mother would protect her children and help her children. I miss him all the time and go to ask him questions and he's not there."

As Janet and Arthur are released from police custody, Arthur shakes hands with the custody sergeant and asks the detective to tell his son he loves him and will bring him some clothes. The couple later receive a police caution for assisting an offender.

The programme heard there was some bad feeling between Alex and Kelly. Kelly said Alex was still in love with her and didn't want anyone else looking after their son.

Alex's mum Mary is also interviewed and in moving scenes says she is struggling to move on. She shows photographs of Alex as a child and breaks down.

She said: "I can't believe he's not here anymore." She also told the programme that anyone who was so out of control they would stab someone should not be out in society.

Parkins said: "I find it difficult knowing what's happened that I won't see my family for a long time."

Robert Parkins was convicted of murder by a unanimous verdict at the Old Bailey and jailed for 19 years.