A HAIRDRESSER who is accused of repeatedly stabbing his ex-girlfriend wept as he told a jury he never intended to kill her.
Andrew Banks, 41, of Hebble Vale Drive, Wheatley, Halifax, has pleaded guilty to causing grevious bodily harm to Rebecca Richards, 21, of Southowram, but denies attempted murder.
He cried as he told Bradford Crown Court how he punched his ex-fianc
ee three times in the face, kicked her twice in the head, and inflicted cuts to her wrists, shoulder and back with two large kitchen knives.
Andrew Kershaw, prosecuting, said Banks attempted to murder Miss Richards and refused to call an ambulance during the five-hour ordeal until she signed a note stating she had injured herself. During that time he drank beer and voda and snorted cocaine.
Banks, who has worked in the same Huddersfield salon for nearly 19 years, said he and Miss Richards, who was just 18 when they met in 2004, had an "almost perfect" relationship until she moved out of their home on December 10, 2007.
The court heard that on December 28, 2007 Banks had collected Miss Richards at around 5pm after her shift at the Yorkshire Bank, Halifax, and they had gone to Hebble Vale Drive to talk.
But Banks said they began arguing over money and text messages exchanged between Miss Richards and a male friend.
Banks, who has been married twice, said: "She was saying 'I will go with whoever I want and I am going to take you for half of your house.'
"I then pushed her back and she came right up in my face.
"At that point I am sorry to say that I hit her in the face three times with a fist."
He told the jury Miss Richards went to the kitchen downstairs and returned holding two knives.
Banks said: "She was angry, she was shaking, she said 'I am going to make you pay for this.'
"The next minute she slashed her left thigh with the knife in her left hand and then she stuck herself in the left leg with the other knife."
He said he reacted by pushing her into the Christmas tree but she got up and came towards him with one of the knives. He then kicked her twice in the face.
"For one minute in my whole life I lost control," he said. "I got the knife in my right hand and pushed in towards her shoulder and again into her back. Then I was just banging the blades against her wrists saying 'Why? Why did you want to hurt yourself?'"
John Eldridge, for Banks, said: "Were you trying to kill her?"
Banks said: "The thought never entered my head."
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