A woman plunged a knife into her ex-lover three times on her 53rd birthday...because she wanted to put him out of his misery.

Gillian McKenzie later told police officers she was fed up with former boyfriend Jonathan Ingham “bleating” about his miserable life.

As he sat on the floor at her home in Hunter Avenue, Ashford listening to Radio 2, McKenzie stabbed him with a seven-inch kitchen knife, a jury heard.

She is alleged to have told police: “He had to die... he couldn’t live like that anymore. I tried to kill him and put him out of his misery!”

White-haired McKenzie has admitted unlawfully wounding Mr Ingham but has denied trying to murder him.

Prosecutor Simon Taylor told Canterbury Crown Court how the couple had been in a relationship for nine years which came to an end in 2016, although they remained friends.

He told the jury: “There is no dispute in this case that McKenzie did stab Mr Ingham nor that she had any legal justification for doing so.

“The Crown says that when she stabbed him she did so intending to kill him and she said as much as she was stabbing him. It is only mere good fortune she didn’t succeed, “ he claimed.

Mr Taylor said that Mr Ingham would go to McKenzie’s home for a meal – “but it would appear she wanted this arrangement to come to an end.”

On March 23 Mr Ingham arrived at the house at 8.30pm and McKenzie had already been drinking.

The couple watched TV and were drinking and listening to Radio 2 before Mr Ingham went to take some painkillers for a foot ailment.

He claimed that she snatched them away before going into the kitchen and returning with a knife and stabbing him three times.

The prosecutor said Mr Ingham felt “a searing pain” in his right shoulder and as he got up from the floor was stabbed twice again.

Mr Taylor alleged that McKenzie told him: “You are going to have this. I am going to put you out of your misery. I’m going to kill you!”

As blood poured down his body, McKenzie then called the emergency services and told the operator:”He should be f***** dead!”

Mr Ingham managed to wrestle to weapon from her hand and threw it into the kitchen, the jury heard.

When police officers arrived, McKenzie was seen on the floor rolling a cigarette, saying: “I am sorry John. You just wouldn’t listen”, it was claimed.

"I am going to put you out of your misery. I’m going to kill you!” - McKenzie, court told

Mr Ingham told the jury: “I felt frightened...I thought I would bleed to death. I was terrified because I take blood-thinning medicine and I started to panic as the blood was running down my legs and onto my toes.”

McKenzie is alleged to have told police “I told him not to come over or we would end up arguing. I just wanted him to stay away and leave me alone. He’s better off dead.

“He had to die. I can’t live like that anymore. I tried to kill him to put him out of his misery.”

He was later taken to the William Harvey Hospital and treated for his wounds.

The trial continues