A woman killed a man with a single stab wound at her Canterbury flat as he attacked her love cheat friend in a jealous rage, a court heard.

Lara Doran grabbed a knife and plunged it into Andrew Wilby’s back while he was on top of his girlfriend Leann Phillips, it was alleged.

Attempts to save his life failed and he was pronounced dead at the QEQM Hospital in Margate soon afterwards.

Shortly before the tragedy, Doran, 23, a care worker, and Miss Phillips had had sex with two soldiers, Maidstone Crown Court was told.

John Traversi, prosecuting, said Mr Wilby, 21, and Miss Phillips had been in a relationship for a number of months that involved jealousy and violence.

Doran and Miss Phillips were on a girls night out in the town on June 19 last year and went to clubs and pubs.

They met the two soldiers at The Seven Stars and went on to The Beer Cart Arms. After further drinks they headed for Doran’s flat in Tennyson House, Tennyson Avenue.

After stopping at Asda to buy alcohol they drank Jack Daniels and Coke in the living room of the flat. The women also smoked cannabis.

"At some point, all four of them began to have sex," Mr Traversi told the jury of six men and six women.

"It came to an end when Lara was sick, no doubt because of the drink and cannabis they had taken."

The soldiers helped put Doran on her bed.

Mr Wilby, meanwhile, had been out with friends. He and Miss Phillips had been texting and phoning each other during the evening.

Mr Wilby became jealous about what she might be up to and decided to go to the flat. The soldiers "left in very short order".

After Mr Wilby arrived, he examined his girlfriend’s phone and asked her about texts on it. He shouted at her, calling her a slut and whore.

A fight broke out between them and Miss Phillips heard Doran screaming at Mr Wilby to get off.

Mr Wilby said: "I have been stabbed." As he walked into the hallway and collapsed, Miss Phillips saw there was a knife sticking out of his back.

Doran, now of Rosemary Lane, Canterbury, denies murder, claiming she did not intend to kill Mr Wilby but was trying to save her friend from harm.

The trial continues.