Murder accused Stephanie Langley has told a jury that slain landlord Matthew Bryant threatened to find her daughter as she confronted him about past violent behaviour.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the blade she had with her on the day the pub boss was fatally stabbed outside the Hare and Hounds had been in the back of her car.

The 55-year-old explained she had found it in her rubbish as she emptied it into a wheelie bin outside her East Farleigh home just before she took her teenage daughter to school.

Langley is on trial accused of stabbing former brother-in-law Mr Bryant to death on September 11 last year.

She denies murder and the alternative offence of manslaughter, but previously admitted possessing a knife.

The prosecution alleged she fatally stabbed Mr Bryant outside the pub he had run since 2015 in an “irrational but deliberate” attack.

The court has previously heard how, although once related by marriage, Langley had not seen Mr Bryant, for more than 20 years.

This was until an incident in March or May last year when she joined her son, Cameron Langley-McColm, and his girlfriend, Shannon Cooney, for a drink at the Lower Boxley Road pub where her son played pool.

Earlier in the trial, the jury was told Langley claimed Mr Bryant had previously been violent and abusive and had raped a woman.

Giving evidence on Friday, Langley - who has previously been jailed for drug smuggling - was questioned by her defence barrister, John Cooper, about why she went to the pub on the day Mr Bryant was killed.

She said: “I went in to see Cameron as I wanted to make it clear I could not cope with Matthew Bryant in any way, shape, or form in our lives in any way.”

Mr Cooper added: “Did you have any intention of harming Matthew Bryant?”

“No,” replied Langley.

She added: “I spoke to Matthew first. He was the only one in the pub. Cameron had not arrived. He offered me a drink and I accepted.

“I wanted to say to him that he had not changed, Caroline (his wife) had (previously) informed me he was still a bully and I didn’t think it was right he was continuously so violent and was allowed to be the landlord of a pub.”

Asked why by Mr Cooper, she added: “Because he was violent and had been violent continuously.

“It’s not completely clear in my mind, it’s very difficult, but because of the CCTV, the traumatic event, it’s not crystal clear in my mind.

“I said ‘You don't deserve to be a landlord’, words to that effect, he said ‘I will find your daughter’. His eyes narrowed - I just know at that time it cut me to the core.

“It was a threat to my daughter, that he could harm her and heaven forbid, rape her.”

Langley was then asked if Mr Bryant had said anything about harming or raping her daughter.

She replied: “It was a credible threat because he has a history of violence and continuing violence.”

The court also heard, after the confrontation with Mr Byrant, Langley left the pub and walked back to her car and got the knife and then returned to the venue.

Asked how she was feeling at that point, Langley said: “My heart was racing. I had gone into a different feeling, when I got in the car, I had some whisky.

“I took some and took some more while driving, as much as I could.

“I was going back to the pub, I wanted to make it crystal clear he could not harm anyone else, to protect my daughter and tell Matthew he was to go nowhere near my daughter.

”I got it (the knife) from the back of my car and as I am walking, I don’t feel like I am touching the floor, it’s like white noise, like there is a bin over my head, a muffled sound.

“The knife was coming with me as a clear warning to Matthew. He would have to get through me first. I was terrified at the time, just to face up to him, someone I knew was violent.

“He might fight me, start on me, I don't know, to defend myself if I needed to and to protect and defend my daughter.”

It’s at this point on the day in question, Mr Bryant made a call to the police about Langley’s behaviour.

She had the knife in the right-hand pocket of her body warmer.

“I didn’t hear it (Mr Bryant on his mobile to police), I just saw the phone and knocked it out of his hand. I just took a step back, I couldn’t hear,” she said.

The court was shown stills from CCTV footage showing the moment she knocked the phone out of his hand.

She added: “I accept I did that. I don’t recall it, but I accept it. I don’t recall, but it’s the CCTV evidence.

“I am feeling very odd (at this point), very sick, my heart is pounding...”

From the CCTV, Mr Bryant can be seen looking down towards his phone and slightly turning his back towards Langley, but then he goes off camera and Langley follows him.

“I remember holding the knife and warning and jabbing out towards him as I wanted him to know he would have to get through me to get to her.”

Mr Cooper asked her if she remembered that.

Langley added: “No, not really I don’t remember. I accept I had the knife in my right hand, yes, but don’t really remember.

“It was just a clear warning, I was thinking about (my daughter) and protecting her.”

The prosecution says it was at this point Langley stabbed Mr Bryant three times, twice in the back and once in the chest and he fell to the ground.

Mr Cooper said: “Can you account for any of your actions?”

Langley replied: “I remember holding the knife and warning and jabbing out towards him as I wanted him to know he would have to get through me to get to her.”

The trial continues.