Man accused of attempted murder drank 'half a bottle of vodka' before stabbing ex-partner 17 times

But Anwar Ashraf, 38 and previously from Southsea, also insisted that he was not drunk and did not intend to kill his former girlfriend, Carla Skeites.

Ms Skeites was stabbed by Ashraf at 3600 Parkway in Whiteley on the morning of April 30 last year, with the defendant pleading guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possession of a knife at Winchester Crown Court. Ashraf denies attempted murder.

The victim was stabbed in the abdomen, chest and arm, among other injuries - and forensic physician Professor Jason Payne-James has already told the jury that her wounds could have been fatal without medical treatment.

Giving evidence in court this afternoon (Wednesday, March 25), Ashraf told the jury that he was “really confused” about the state of his relationship with Ms Skeites, which had ended several weeks prior to the attack.

He said: “I was really confused and couldn’t find the reality. I was in a quite dark place.

“I wanted to ask her what was going on because I wasn’t able to talk to her. I thought she was seeing someone.”

The court heard how on the morning of the attack, Ashraf had made several attempts to contact Ms Skeites via phone. He also admitted to drinking “half a bottle of vodka” before getting in a taxi to her place of work in Whiteley.

Ashraf also confirmed that he took a knife to 3600 Parkway, and CCTV footage played to the jury showed him walking back and forth in front of the offices. He rejected the possibility of being drunk at the time of the attack.

He said: “I hoped that by scaring her, she would tell me the truth.

“I followed her [into the building] I think. I remember near the stairs, we were talking.

“I remember her bleeding, [I was] completely shocked - a blackout situation.”

Giles Bedloe, prosecuting, repeatedly asked Ashraf if he intended to kill Ms Skeites, to which the defendant said no each time.

Mr Bedloe asked: “You’re saying today that you didn’t intend to kill her, and you had said to the police at the scene that you hadn’t intended to kill her. Why, when you were interviewed at the police station, did you not simply say that?”

Ashraf said: “I was simply following the solicitor’s advice. I was very upset.”

Mr Bedloe then referred to Ms Skeites’ evidence, where she said Ashraf had previously said he wanted to kill her over the phone.

He said: “There was a point in that lobby where you were so angry and so upset that you devided to kill her. You decided to finish her off.

“Whether you took that knife to scare her or not, you took it out and used it on her, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” Ashraf replied.

Mr Bedloe added: “You were stabbing her in areas where her vital organs were. Was it in fact that you couldn’t take no for an answer? Had the red mist descended?”

“No,” Ashraf said.

Ashraf’s defence is that he intended to scare Ms Skeites with the knife, not to kill her.

(Proceeding)