Man denies trying to kill fellow teacher with a knife after being rejected

A teacher has denied attempting to murder his on-off partner with a knife after he could not accept the end of their relationship.

Matthew Jones, 28, admits causing grievous bodily harm with intent to 24-year-old Emma Kirk after the pair encountered in an alleyway in Bath, Somerset, on February 26 this year.

It was revealed at Bristol Crown Court that Jones stabbed his colleague Miss Kirk about 15 times with the blade, causing injuries to her neck, head and face.

Jurors were told the attack was so ferocious that it took five men to pull Jones away from Miss Kirk, and that even then he tried to strangle her.

Even when the knife was ripped from your hand, even when all those people were sitting on your back trying to hold you down, you made one last attempt to strangle her as she lay bleeding on the ground.

But when giving evidence in court, Jones insisted that he had no intention of killing Miss Kirk during the incident and claimed that it was she, not he, who brought the knife to the crime scene.

Under cross-examination, Jones said he admitted stabbing Miss Kirk once, but claimed the other injuries she sustained were “cutting injuries”.

He told the jury: “If I had wanted to kill Emma at some point, Emma would not be here now.

Jones added: “I could have done the maximum damage possible by putting the knife in her hand in as many places as possible in the three minutes we had together.”

Prosecutor Sam Jones asked: “Why did you stab her so many times?”

The defendant replied: “I didn’t stab her that often.”

Mr Jones asked: “Why did you never stop?”

The defendant said: “I did.”

Mr Jones replied: “You didn't do that. You just kept walking. You had to be stopped.”

The defendant said in court: “When those men came and were on my heels, I didn't do anything to Emma anymore.”

Mr Jones said: “Even when the knife was ripped from your hand and all these people were sitting on your back trying to hold you down, you reached out your hand in a final attempt to strangle her as she lay bleeding on the floor.”

The defendant replied: “No.”

He denied grabbing Miss Kirk by the neck and instead claimed he tried to push her clothing up to her neck.

Prosecutor Jones had previously described how Jones and Miss Kirk met at university before entering into a “romantic relationship”.

The attack occurred after Miss Kirk told Jones that she did not want to see him again but wanted to meet him in an alley near her home to return the Christmas presents he had given her.

It is alleged that Jones then pulled out a knife and demanded to see Miss Kirk's mobile phone, causing her to run away. He is said to have tackled her to the ground before stabbing her.

Miss Kirk suffered two punctured lungs and numerous wounds to her hands as she reached for the blade.

An off-duty police officer, members of the public and paramedics rushed to Miss Kirk's aid and administered first aid.

Prosecutor Jones had previously told the jury that Miss Kirk would have died if they had not done so.

The defendant later told police that it was Miss Kirk who had brought the knife to the crime scene and that he had taken it from her during a struggle which left them both on the ground.

Jones, of Ivy Avenue, Southdown, Bath, denies charges of attempted murder and possession of an article with a blade or point in a public place, but admits causing her grievous bodily harm with intent.

The process continues.