A TEENAGER who stabbed his foster mother to death had spoken about wanting to carry out knife attacks, an inquiry has heard.

The boy's birth mother told health visitors who had been brought in to assess his mental state that he said he wanted to "stab people".

He was aged just 10 at the time but his mother told the specialists he adopted an aggressive manner and was getting involved in fights.

The boy was placed with Dawn McKenzie and her husband Bryan in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, in November 2010. He killed her in June 2011 at her home when he was just 13-years-old.

A fatal accident inquiry into Dawn's death also heard that the boy had also been accused of dealing drugs on behalf of his mother and stepfather when he was just nine.

He was jailed for seven years in 2012 after admitting culpable homicide on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Catherine Holden, a children's service manager who carried out a review of the boy's care by staff at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said he was first referred to their mental health team in 2005.

His mother had given an interview to workers in 2008 where she said she was concerned about his "fighting and aggressive talk" and said "he talks about stabbing people."

Mrs Holden said: "We felt this should be noted given what happened."

The inquiry also heard from Detective Inspector Douglas McKinlay who said the boy had been charged by police with five offences prior to killing although he had not received any convictions due to his age.

He said: "When he was aged nine there was an allegation of common assault on two 11-year-old foreign boys.

"He was also reported to be selling drugs for his mother and stepfather."

DI McKinlay said none of the offences indicated to officers that he was likely to go on to commit such a violent crime.

The inquiry earlier heard that an expert report had found Dawn's death could have been prevented if more prompt action was taken by social workers.

It said that the boy was allowed to live with his birth family, where he suffered 'chronic neglect', for too long.

The expert report's author Kirsty McLean wrote: "I have little doubt that had he been removed from home a number of years earlier he would not have committed this dreadful, violent crime."

Kevin Brown, 53, a senior social worker at Glasgow City Council, told the inquiry there were failings in the case but denied swifter action could have prevented Dawn's death.

Bryan McKenzie had told the probe if he had known more about the boy's background he would have still have taken the placement but would have been 'more cautious and better armed'.

It emerged the boy had been sleeping on a trampoline, had no shoes, was living in a house frequented by drug addicts and had been subjected to "frequent acts of violence".

The inquiry, which is being held in Motherwell before Sheriff David Bicket, continues.