The judge in the Margate murder case has begun her summing up at Canterbury Crown Court today.

Kevin Carter died from multiple stab wounds at the home of his partner last year - just hours after being released from a jail sentence.

Mum-of-two Janice Carter, of Sweyn Road, is accused of his murder, but has pleaded not guilty.

Her barrister Oliver Saxby told the jury in his closing speech that two psychiatrists had confirmed the 28-year-old had been suffering from an anxiety disorder.

He said that after Mr Carter arrived home from his prison sentence, the two had argued over where a monitoring machine for his electronic tagging device was to be installed inside the flat.

Mr Saxby said Mrs Carter had suffered repeated violence during her 10-and-a-half-year relationship.

He said the medical experts had agreed that if the jury accepted she had suffered years of physical abuse "in combination with her anxiety disorder she would have been more likely to experience intense fear".

The barrister said Mrs Carter had been defending herself from an attack from her drunken and aggressive partner.

He told the jury: "Picture yourself in that kitchen just for a second, with that anxiety disorder, you are scared aren't you? It is dark, you don't know how far he is going to go. His hands are around your head and he is forcing your head down. He is angry. There is no way out of the kitchen.

"He is stronger than you are. Just imagine it. In the past he has punched you, put his hands around your throat, so that you have nearly blacked out. In the past you have thought: 'Is he going to kill me this time?'

"And you reach back to where there is a knife and you grab it. It must have been terrifying."

Mr Saxby said that Mrs Carter had taken hold of the knife "and started defending herself with it".

Judge Adele Williams - at the start of her summing up of the case - told the jury: "Did this defendant commit murder, did she commit manslaughter or did this defendant commit no crime at all? Those are the issues you are going to have to deal with."

The jury is expected to retire to consider its verdict tomorrow.