‘Killed over a bit of broccoli’ (From Your Local Guardian)

‘Killed over a bit of broccoli’

11:41am Wednesday 2nd July 2008 in

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A man stabbed his partner to death after she tossed a piece of broccoli at him in a row over their pet puppy, the Old Bailey heard on Monday.

Alexander Kelly, 58, knifed long-term girlfriend Yvonne Barlow, 44, in the chest as he sat eating his dinner in front of the television, the court heard.

She bled to death after the knife wound penetrated both her lungs.

The pair, who enjoyed a "stormy relationship", began rowing after Kelly slapped the couple's new puppy because it had messed the floor at their home in Britannia Close, Clapham.

Ms Barlow was waiting for her son to collect her and take her to her mother's house when she was attacked.

Kelly refused to let the son in, but when police arrived told them: "I was eating my dinner. She didn't want to stay. She put her hand on my plate and threw my dinner at me. I just lunged at her."

When police entered they found Kelly covered in blood in the lounge and the victim slumped in a chair.

Prosecutor Sir Allan Green QC said the couple, who lived together for many years at the four-bedroom terraced house, were no strangers to the police.

"There are 12 previous incidents which you will see and a lot seems to have arisen when one or both of the parties had been drinking heavily," he told jurors.

Kelly, who broke down in police custody when officers informed him his partner was dead, later said in a statement: "I arrived home last night after watching the football and Yvonne stated my dinner was in the kitchen and I warmed it up.

"We bought a puppy dog a few days ago and it had made a mess on the floor so I gave it a smack.

"Yvonne came downstairs and we argued about smacking the dog. I suggested she go back to her mother's and she rang her son to pick her up.

"She grabbed my phone and tried to take the SIM out of it.

"I managed to get the phone back and put it in my pocket. I sat back down to eat with my knife and fork in my hand.

"She grabbed the food on my plate. I stood up and lashed out with my hand. I forgot I had the knife in my hand at the time and so I stabbed her through the chest.

"I didn't mean to stab her, I'm very sorry."

When police searched the couple's front room they found the knife used in the stabbing next to the plate of food and pieces of broccoli on the table.

Kelly, of Britannia Close, Clapham, denies murder. The trial continues.