An intruder who broke into a woman’s home and stabbed her new partner had “a clear intention to kill”, a court has heard.

Ben Tebay admitted carrying out a knife attack on Liam Barber at a house in Ulundi Street, Radcliffe, in the early hours of February 5 this year.

Tebay pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm but denied attempted murder.

In his closing speech to jurors at Manchester Crown Court on Thursday, Nicholas Clarke, prosecuting, told jurors it was up to them to decide what Tebay’s intentions were when he entered the home of his former girlfriend and stabbed her new partner in the face, neck, arm and ribs.

Mr Clarke said that Tebay, 34, of no fixed address, had been confronted with “his worst nightmare” after he broke into his ex-partner’s home and found her there with another man.

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After going the woman’s kitchen, the court heard that Mr Tebay returned to the doorway of his former partner’s bedroom where the couple were and said: “I’m going to kill you".

Mr Clarke also referred to voicemails left by Tebay on his former partner’s phone two days before the incident in which he told her, “There must be another man involved, I’ll find him and I’ll kill him.”

He said this pointed to “a clear indication of an intention to kill".

Earlier in the trial, which began this week, Tebay visited the house earlier that same night and had banged on the door before police were called.

He then left before returning around 15 minutes later.

A violent struggle ensued, lasting two to three minutes, during which Mr Barber was stabbed four times.

Rachel Shenton, defending, denied Tebay entered the house with an intent to kill.

She said: “This was a moment of passion, a dynamic short-lived event.

“What Ben Tebay did was indefensible, but he did not intent to kill Liam Barber.”

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She argued that the “most important” injury inflicted on Mr Barber, the facial wound, was intended to “mess up his face” rather than kill him and that the other injuries he suffered were “superficial” and did not require medical treatment.

She continued to say that the prosecution relied too heavily on the words “I’m going to kill you".

“Its an expression used very often by people who have no intention of killing,” she said.

No further evidence is expected to be heard in the trial and a jury of 12 people is expected to be sent out for deliberation today, Friday.