DOUBLE murder accused Aaron Barley has pleaded guilty to killing a Stourbridge mum and son.

The 24-year-old, of no fixed address, appeared at Birmingham Crown Court today (Tuesday October 3) where he admitted killing 50-year-old mother-of-two Tracey Wilkinson and her young son Pierce, aged 13, in a brutal attack at their home in Greyhound Lane, Norton, on March 30.

Barley, wearing a pale blue T shirt, stared at the floor throughout the hearing - as relatives of Mrs Wilkinson and Pierce watched from a packed public gallery.

He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to attempting to kill husband and father Peter Wilkinson in the shocking attack at the family's home.

Barley, who had been in and out of foster care after losing both parents at a young age, had been befriended by Tracey Wilkinson after she found him sleeping rough outside a supermarket in Stourbridge the previous year. 

Described as a kind, loving and generous person, it was no surprise to friends that she tried to help him turn his life around after a difficult childhood.

The Wilkinsons went on to find Barley a job in Newport, Wales, the court was told, and paid for a mobile phone contract for him.

But before long he began skipping work and was evicted from his lodgings.

The family, however, continued to support him and Barley would often eat at their home.

Mr Wilkinson felt it was important to his wife to help Barley, although Pierce and his sister Lydia were never very comfortable with him around - Karim Khalil QC, prosecuting, said.

Barley's behaviour became more erratic and in February, after three weeks without contact, Peter Wilkinson cancelled the mobile phone contract.

The court was told Mr Wilkinson has since wondered if that was what led Barley to hold a grudge but he felt that didn't seem plausible.

On the morning of the fatal attacks, Mr Wilkinson got up just before 7am and took the family's adopted greyhound Mandy for a walk.

He asked Pierce to go with him but the teenager said he would go with him the next day. Tragically that would never happen.

Unbeknown to the family, Barley had spent the night in the family's back garden - having attempted unsuccessfully to gain entry to the house, and CCTV footage obtained after the attacks showed him crawling across the lawn in the middle of the night.

When Mr Wilkinson left for his early morning walk with the dog - Barley entered the house through the back door which had been left unlocked.

He made his way upstairs where he attacked Tracey and Pierce in their bedrooms.

Tracey was brutally stabbed at least 17 times, the court was told, and was found dead in the master bedroom by paramedics as they arrived at the scene.

She appeared to have been stabbed through the duvet in the frenzied attack.

Pierce, a pupil at Redhill School, had been stabbed at least eight times and was found struggling to breathe.

He was taken to Birmingham Children's Hospital but he did not survive his injuries.

Peter Wilkinson was also stabbed six times as he returned home after his early morning walk.

The company director, however, was able to call 999 and confirm Barley had attacked him before driving off in Mr Wilkinson's Landrover Discovery.

A police pursuit followed before Barley lost control of the vehicle and hit a wall in Norton Road.

Police found a kitchen knife in the car wrapped in a wet T shirt.

Later, while in custody after his arrest, an agitated Barley boasted that he had killed two people but wished it had been three.

The prosecution said it was clear he had set out to kill Peter Wilkinson.

Brave daughter Lydia Wilkinson, now aged 19, who was away at university in Bristol at the time of the attacks, gave a heartbreaking account to the court of the devastation caused by the loss of her mother and brother.

She told Barley he had "obliterated" her life and said: "I will never forgive you - this is a pain I will feel until my heart stops beating."

She also said: "My mother and brother will never be replaced. I have no reason to believe I would be here had I been at home that day."

She said life had been "heartbreakingly difficult" since the horrific attacks which she said had left her a shell of her former self and feeling anger she'd never felt before.

She added: "I was confident and enjoying life but now grief has taken over."

Jonas Hankin QC, defending, said Barley's parents both died before he turned seven and he said he had been "pushed from pillar to post" from foster carers to different children's homes.

He said he was suffering from borderline personality disorder and he had perceived the Wilkinsons had abandoned him after initially trying to help him although he conceded there was no evidence of that and said the family had shown him "extraordinary kindness".

Detective Chief Inspector Edward Foster, from West Midlands Police's homicide unit, said of the case after the hearing: "Barley planned a truly shocking and merciless attack that day. People who knew him described him as ‘a compulsive liar and manipulator’. 

"CCTV at the home address and in the car showed the events of the previous night and that morning which led to the untimely and devastating deaths of Tracey and Pierce, leaving no doubt about Barley’s guilt. 

"This was a murder of the utmost cruelty and sadness. 

"The Wilkinsons had opened their home to Barley and tried to help him, but he repaid them in such an incomprehensible way. 

"Our thoughts remain with Peter and Lydia Wilkinson, along with their wider family, who, I’m sure will feel no justice from seeing Barley imprisoned."

Barley is due to be sentenced tomorrow (Wednesday).