Hucknall murder accused 'feared for life over hot tub row'

Christopher Pearson suffered massive blood loss and died in hospital from his injuries

A woman accused of murdering her boyfriend during a row at a hot tub party where she found him naked "feared for her life", a court has heard.

Christopher Pearson died after he was stabbed in the abdomen at his home in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, in February.

Demi Harris, 21, told Nottingham Crown Court the 39-year-old had been violent throughout their relationship and threatened to kill her.

She denies murder and said she grabbed the knife because she was "scared".

The court heard on 18 February, Mr Pearson had been drinking with friends and was naked in a hot tub with two men and two women.

Miss Harris had gone to bed at their house in Strathmore Close but woke hours later to see them.

She said she wanted her partner to kick everyone out but they began to argue as he called her "boring" and "embarrassing".

Demi Harris said she had just intended to "poke" or "jab" Mr Pearson

During cross examination, Miss Harris denied getting angry and described being "upset".

She said as their fight went into the house and upstairs she grabbed the knife from a bedside table because she was "scared".

The court heard Mr Pearson kept a machete and knife there "for protection".

She said he grabbed her hair and threatened to "beat her black and blue".

"I didn't want to do anything with it [the knife]," said Miss Harris.

"I just wanted to poke him and get him off me."

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Miss Harris said her boyfriend took most of her monthly income and once tried to coax her to kill herself by overdosing on tablets.

Asked why she never left him by her barrister, Sallie Bennett-Jenkins QC, she replied: "I loved him and thought he was going to change."

Michael Auty QC, prosecuting, said this was not the first time Miss Harris had grabbed the knife in an argument.

He said on one occasion she had held it to her own stomach, and another time while Mr Pearson hit her she hid it in her bathrobe pocket.

She told police she picked it up "just in case".

Mr Auty, called her "manipulative" and said "you played him in your own way just as effectively".

The trial continues.