Leeds man pleads guilty to wounding his girlfriend in an attack carried out after she refused to believe his throat cancer claim

John Kellett changed his plea to guilty on the second day of his trial at Leeds Crown Court.Kellett, 46, was charged with attempted murder and an alternative plea of wounding with intent over the attack on Diana Morton at her home in Rothwell on August 7 last year.

The defendant entered a guilty plea to the wounding charge this morning (April 5).

The plea was accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service and the jury was directed to return a formal not guilty plea to the attempted murder charge.

Kellett, of Manor Crescent, Rothwell, was remanded in custody until April 11 when he will be sentenced by Mr Justice Jacobs.

At the start of the trial, the jury heard how Kellett stabbed Ms Morton with a kitchen knife then told a 999 call operator that the attack had been carried out by her former partner.

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

Michael Collins, prosecuting, said the 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.

Mr Collins said the couple had spent the day together before 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."

Kellett then armed himself with a cleaver and a large kitchen knife.

He then 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.

During the call the defendant picked up the phone and told the call handler that Ms Morton had been attacked by her former partner.

Kellett continued to attack the victim when she went outside into the garden at her home on Home Lea.

Ms Morton described to police 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 received hospital treatment for wounds to her shoulder blades, wrist, hand and to the side of her head.