Wolverhampton murder accused 'had knifed partner before'
A woman accused of stabbing her partner to death through the heart was involved in another knifing incident with him three years earlier, a jury heard today.
Prosecutor Peter Grieves-Smith has alleged that Caroline Loweth was responsible for both attacks on John Fletcher.
The 53-year-old former relief pub manager was murdered in the kitchen of the city centre flat where Loweth was living in Market Street, Wolverhampton, on October 27 last year, it was claimed.
Three years earlier while the couple were living together in Bristol he had been stabbed in the stomach puncturing his bowel.
Loweth claims that her partner had injured himself on both these occasions, Wolverhampton Crown Court has heard.
The jury today heard the 999 call she made to the ambulance at the incident in Bristol in September 10, 2010. Loweth was heard to say to the operator: "He has stabbed himself in the abdomen. I am with him. I can do first aid.
"He is awake and breathing."
She then added: "I have got too many people around me gassing and panicking."
She then continued: "It was intentional. He stabbed himself. There is quite a lot of blood, but his pulse rate is perfectly normal. There is one major wound. Please tell me what the hell I'm supposed to do. He has stabbed himself with a kitchen knife and did the same thing a couple of weeks ago."
Mr Fletcher needed 10 days of treatment in hospital for the wounds to the abdomen, it was said.
The injuries were inflicted by 49-year-old Loweth when the pair were living together in Bristol in September 2010, alleged Mr Peter Grieves-Smith, prosecuting.
She washed the knife and hid it in her dressing gown after the attack, which was covered up by the victim, alleged the prosecutor.
Then in December 2012 Loweth knifed her partner again, it was claimed.
This time Mr Fletcher told police what had happened, revealed Mr Grieves-Smith.
"He made a witness statement which said she had stabbed him with knives on numerous times and he had tried to help her by not making a formal complaint. But he said this was the final straw." Mr Grieves-Smith continued: "However within days he had retracted the complaint and police dropped the case."
Loweth had stabbed Mr Fletcher on four separate occasions before knifing him through the heart at the flat in Market Street, Wolverhampton, where she was living on October 27 last year, concluded the prosecutor.
Mr Grieves-Smith said the pair had been in a 'turbulent and difficult' relationship during which the victim had also assaulted the defendant. Loweth from Market Square, Wolverhampton, denies murder. The case continues.
