A FORMER boyfriend of alleged York murderer Caroline Mawhood has claimed that she cut him with a knife during an evening watching television.

Roger David Bradbury, 23, told a jury that he lived with Mawhood in Bell Farm Avenue, York, for a time.

In April 2002, they were watching television when an argument began and she fetched a four-inch bladed knife from the kitchen. He leaned backwards into the sofa he was sitting in as she stabbed down with it and cut his knee, he alleged at Leeds Crown Court.

Asked prosecution barrister William Lowe, QC: "If you hadn't moved backwards, what would have happened?."

"I wouldn't like to think about it. It could have got me anywhere," said Mr Bradbury.

He added that he hid the knife, blocked the bleeding with some tissue then limped to his brother's flat to spend the night. The next morning, he returned to the flat to tell Mawhood he was leaving and went back to his brother's.

Mr Bradbury said he had drunk four or five cans of lager and that Mawhood had been drinking strong white cider before the incident.

"Caroline became violent towards me, punching and scratching, verbal and physical abuse. I really didn't want to aggravate the situation when she became violent like this," he said.

Then she fetched the knife, he claimed.

Mawhood, 21, denies murdering Simon Gilchrist. The jury heard that Mr Gilchrist lived with her at the same flat in July 2004. Mr Bradbury said Mawhood sometimes cut herself with knives and he had hidden knives in the past to prevent her doing so.

He agreed with defence barrister Rodney Jameson QC that Mawhood cheated on him and slept with other men during their relationship.

On one occasion, he had walked in on her and Simon Gilchrist together.

Two of his friends said they had slept with Mawhood.

The jury was also played a recording of Mr Gilchrist's last words as he made a 999 call after the stabbing.

Home Office pathologist Professor Christopher Milroy, from Sheffield, said the knife wound had gone downwards 15cm past the fourth rib through Mr Gilchrist' heart and into his liver.

Frantic last words of stabbing victim

THE jury heard Simon Gilchrist's last words in a 999 call he made to the ambulance service after being stabbed.

He says: "I didn't even f*****g do nowt. She just came in p****d out...Please, mate, quickly."

When asked some questions, he says: "I can't, I am going to pass out."

A female voice asks: "Are you all right?"

He answers: "No, I am not."

Then a third voice is heard: "He has passed out now".

The third voice says the ambulance should hurry, then says to the operator: "Hurry up, he is shaking...he is shaking at the moment.

"He is passing out. He has passed out."

The trial continues.

Updated: 10:55 Friday, January 14, 2005