'Insecure' boyfriend tried to murder his partner when she rejected his throat cancer claim then blamed knife attack on her ex, Leeds jury told

A court heard John Kellett stabbed the woman with a kitchen knife at her home in Leeds then told a 999 call operator that the attack had been carried out by her former partner.

Kellett then followed her outside and stabbed her again in the garden as he said: "You are not leaving me."

The 46-year-old defendant is on trial at Leeds Crown Court where he pleads not guilty to attempting to murder Diana Morton at Home Lea, Rothwell.

Kellett, of Manor Crescent, Rothwell, also pleads not guilty to an alternative count of wounding with intent.

Michael Collins, prosecuting, told the jury the alleged attack took place in the early hours of August 7, 2021.

The couple had been in a relationship since around February of the same year.

The prosecutor said: "When her evidence is played to you, you will hear her explain that during the relationship she had concerns about the defendant being possessive and suspicious of her whereabouts - insecure, some might say.

"It is in that context that you might consider the events of August 7 last year."

Mr Collins said the couple had spent the previous day together socialising with others.

The prosecutor said they returned to Ms Morton's home around midnight where the "mood changed."

Mr Collins said Kellett told Ms Morton that he had throat cancer.

He said: "She did not demonstrate much by way of sympathy.

"That is because she thought that he was lying, trying to manipulate her.

"Trying to make her feel sorry for him.

"She pointed out to him 'you have said nothing about this all day'. She did not believe him.

"She went on to tell him that she was sick of his lies."

The jury heard Kellett then began to suggest to her that she intended to end the relationship.

He left the room and armed himself with a cleaver and a large kitchen knife.

Kellett then returned and put the cleaver to one side before standing over her holding the knife.

Mr Collins said: "He aggressively thrust the pointed end of the knife downwards, directly at her."

Ms Morton's hand was badly injured as she instinctively tried to defend herself.

The court heard she managed to get to a phone and dialled 999.

Mr Collins continued "You will hear the 999 call. She does not complete it.

"You will hear the defendant take over from the call after you have heard some squabbling in the background."

Mr Collins continued: "It is the defendant who tells the call handler that Ms Morton has been attacked by her former partner.

"A man who had been nowhere near them.

"He said he had left the scene and gave the operator a detailed description of the clothes that he was wearing.

"He was telling lies."

"This was a calculation, designed firstly to mislead the police and take the heat off him.

"But it was a cynical attempt, you might think, for a wholly innocent man to be arrested and questioned about an attack of which he was innocent."

The prosecutor said that in order for the lie to work, Kellett was then "committed" to killing Ms Morton so she would be unable to tell the truth to the police.

The jury heard Kellett continued to attack the woman when she went outside into the garden.

Mr Collins said: "Sadly is wasn't long before the defendant, still armed and, you may think, driven by a murderous intent, continued where he left off."

Ms Morton described how Kellett looked like a "man possessed" as he made five or six more stabbing motions towards her with the knife.

The court heard Kellett said "you are not leaving me" as he struck out with the weapon.

Mr Collins said Kellett stopped the attack after Ms Morton said to him: "I'm not leaving you."

She then managed to kick him and ran to a neighbour for help.

Police were contacted and Kellett was arrested.

He told police officers at the scene: "She attacked me and I defended myself."

Ms Morton was taken to hospital where she received treatment for wounds to her shoulder blades, wrist, hand and side of her head.

Mr Collis said: "The defence say that these injuries were self-inflicted and that he was not responsible for any of the wounds.

He added: "The prosecution say that is nonsense and it is wholly unsupported by the medical evidence."

The trial continues.