Woman 'killed' James Knight with steak knife in Leicester

Nearby roads were cordoned off after James Knight was discovered

A woman fatally stabbed her boyfriend with a steak knife in a drunken row and then delayed getting him help, a court was told.

Emma-Jayne Magson, 23, of Leicester, has denied murdering James Knight, 26, during the early hours of 27 March.

Leicester Crown Court was told the pair had a volatile six-month relationship.

Ms Magson opted not to give evidence at her trial, but the jury was told she acted in self-defence after Mr Knight grabbed her around the throat.

'Cold and brutal'

The judge was previously told neighbours were awoken by a "racket" outside Ms Magson's house in Sylvan Street at about 02:30 BST on Easter Sunday.

Mr Knight was discovered lying topless and face down on the street, with Ms Magson claiming he was drunk and had been beaten up.

The court heard Mr Knight's brother, Kevin Knight, helped lift him into her house and placed him on the floor, without realising he had a fatal stab injury which had punctured his heart.

He was then "ushered" out by Ms Magson, the prosecution alleged.

During his closing speech, prosecution QC Michael Evans said of Ms Magson: "[On that night] she was cold, she was brutal, she was manipulative, she was calculating, she was volatile, she was determined and she was vicious.

"She was thinking about how she could escape the consequences of what she had done."

He added: "All her efforts after she stabbed him were directed at getting him away from others and into the house."

Ms Magson denies murder.

She said in a statement she had been "grabbed" around her throat and, in self-defence, picked up a steak knife and "hit out once".

The trial continues.