A woman accused of murdering her partner after stabbing him in the back with a kitchen knife claimed she had acted in self-defence, a jury heard.

Bradford Crown Court was told Julie Harris, 34, attacked Graham Carter because she was "acting in her defence and that of her children."

Mr Carter was taken to hospital on the night of the attack and released after a few days. But he died of a heart attack which was linked to the stab wounds three weeks later when he was re-admitted to Calderdale Royal Hospital after feeling unwell.

The court heard that the couple started arguing after Mr Carter - also known as Greg - returned to their home at Smith House Close, Brighouse, after being out drinking.

Simon Jackson QC, prosecuting, told the jury that Mr Carter, 46, was "drunk, aggressive and abusive and was threatening to break the windows."

Harris then became angry and threw a plastic Christmas tree at him, ran into the kitchen and armed herself with a knife.

Mr Carter tried to follow her but her eldest son blocked his path.

Mr Jackson said: "She returned to the kitchen carrying the eight-inch bladed knife. He said "come on, kill me" and that, alleges the Crown, is exactly what she did."

He said there was a struggle and he tried to take the knife off her but she stabbed him once in the back causing a minor injury and then stabbed him harder causing a deep penetrating wound.

An ambulance was called and Mr Carter was taken to hospital.

Harris was arrested and when interviewed told police he had been violent towards her in the past but she was not scared of him.

She said: "It's the emotional side I can't stand, he's obsessed and just stalks me wherever I go. He had been goading me and threatening to put the windows through."

She told the police it had crossed her mind to stab him in the chest, but "something had clicked in her head" and she realised that this would kill him so went for the back instead.

Mr Jackson told the jury: "These replies show that in a state of anger she deliberately armed herself with a lethal weapon and stabbed him in a quite calculated way."

In the weeks after the attack Mr Carter became pale, stopped eating and had difficulty breathing.

He was taken to hospital on December 27 last year and was found to have an infection in the lining of the heart, resulting from the stab wounds. This led directly to the heart attack.

The court was told by Wayne Bradbury, Mr Carter's son from a previous relationship, that the couple, who had been together for 16 years, would often argue but there was never any violence.

Harris a mother-of-four, two of whom were Mr Carter's, denies murder.

The trial continues.