A 999 operator heard a woman pleading for her life as her boyfriend attacked her with a knife.

Chloe Shimmin suffered more than 40 wounds to her body and needed treatment in intensive care.

While being attacked at the couple’s home in South Street, Canterbury, she dialled 999.

Miss Shimmin, 29, was heard to say: "No, please, you are killing me.

"Why are you doing this to me? You will go to prison."

The terrifying call continued with Miss Shimmin gasping: "Oh my God, what have you done? I can’t take it any more. Please let me go."

Maidstone Crown Court heard that Oscar Romero-Perez, 24, who was on medication for a psychotic illness, believed his girlfriend was possessed by demons.

The jury was unusually asked by the prosecution to find the Spanish national not guilty of attempted murder by reason of insanity, so that he would continue to receive treatment for his mental condition.

"Killing a person is plainly wrong," said prosecutor Peter Forbes. "Killing a demon is not."

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The court heard that the couple met on the internet in 2005.

Miss Shimmin was aware that her boyfriend had mental problems and witnessed his strange behaviour.

In April, last year, he was sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

He was released from hospital with medication, which appeared to be effective.

But he started to behave oddly again and Miss Shimmin suspected he was not taking his medication.

On the morning of September 18, last year, Miss Shimmin went home after a night shift as a carer and found Romero-Perez had not gone to work.

He acted strangely and started making growling noises. He punched her in the face and pinned her on the bed. He went to stab her but stopped within an inch.

Miss Shimmin then telephoned the police. But she suffered the frenzied attack while making the call.

In a transcript read out, she could be heard telling the operator she thought he had gone psychotic again, before screaming: "No, no, no."

pleas continued

Her pleas continued: "Oscar, please don’t. I love you. What are you doing, baby? Please don’t hurt me. Look what you have done to me. No, please, you are killing me.

"Please, darling, stop before it is too late. I love my family. Oh my God. Why are you doing this to me? I love you so much. You will go to prison."

Miss Shimmin gasped: "Oh my God, what have you done? I can’t take it any more. Please let me go."

demon

Asked why he did it, Romero-Perez replied: "You are a demon."

Miss Shimmin told him: "I am not a demon, I am a Christian. I wear a crucifix."

The police eventually arrived and Romero-Perez was restrained.

Miss Shimmin was taken to the hospital intensive care unit for life-saving treatment.

Miss Shimmin was not called to give evidence but she told in a lengthy statement how she fought with the man she loved as he tried to murder her.

"I am quite strong and good at wrestling, so I was able to get out of the way," she said.

"I was pretty determined to stay alive. I was not going to let someone just kill me. I was really terrified. I have never been so terrified in all my life."

During a period of psychosis, her boyfriend would stare at her and make growling noises. On one occasion, he threw boiling water at her, burning her side.

perfect

Miss Shimmin said Romero-Perez was "perfect" when taking his tablets.

But he lost his job at Cafe Rouge restaurant in Canterbury after threatening someone with scissors. He obtained another job as a heating engineer.

By the date of the attack Miss Shimmin said she was feeling unsafe. "I was paranoid he was going to kill me by biting me," she said.

The trial continues.