A MAN who killed a devoted family man from Sale was jailed for life today.

Paul Cusack, 33, of Mauldeth Road West, Withington, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of 67-year-old semi-retired joiner Sid Waller on the grounds of diminished responsibility at Manchester Crown Court, Crown Square.

Cusack was sentenced to life imprisonment and ordered to serve a minimum of five years before he will be able to apply for parole.

On the morning of July 28, 2008, Sid Waller was installing a kitchen in a flat on Mauldeth Road West, working part-time for a property landlord.

He asked the landlord if anyone was in the building, and was told that Cusack, whose flat was next door to the one Sid was working on, was at home.

Sid told the landlord that he had not seen Cusack, but did hear a door open and shut, and then started working.

At about 10.30am, Cusack called police to the building, saying he had just killed someone.

Officers attended and as they pushed at the door, they felt it being pulled from inside.

The man on the other side of the door was Cusack, holding a bloodstained knife.

The officers told Cusack to put the knife down, which he did. He was immediately arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, and the officers then asked him where the victim was. Cusack replied that he was in the first floor flat.

Mr Waller was found with numerous stab wounds. He was unconscious but still breathing.

He was taken by ambulance to Manchester Royal Infirmary, but died from his injuries.

During his interviews Cusack said that he had heard voices in his head willing him to confront Sid.

Senior investigating officer, Andrew Tattersall, said: "The officers who attended Cusack's call were faced with a horrendous scene following this very violent killing. This was a terrible, tragic set of circumstances in which a devoted family man, married for 44 years with two adult children, lost his life.

"It has been a very difficult 15 months for the Waller family, and we hope that the sentencing can help the healing process, but they will always be heartbroken by this tragedy.

"Paul Cusack is a troubled and complicated man. Only he knows what drove him to commit that terrible act that morning."