A man stabbed his girlfriend to death following a row over cheating, a court heard.

Thomas Allen is accused of plunging a knife through a door panel and into the thigh of mum-of-three Samantha Murphy in Margate.

A jury at Maidstone Crown Court heard this morning how Ms Murphy, 37, collapsed with a wound that had severed an artery and tragically died from the injury.

Allen, 38, who denies murder, then allegedly phoned a friend and said: "I've just had a madness."

The court heard Allen had been drinking with a group of people in Elfrida Close in July last year before becoming embroiled in an argument with Ms Murphy.

Prosecutor Philip Bennetts KC said a friend, Kaine Blissett, had returned to the gathering after dropping children off.

Mr Bennetts said: "There was a large group of people in front of the garden. Allen was making shots.

"Mr Blissett then went inside after having a drink and went into the front room and overheard Ms Murphy saying Allen was a cheat.

"Allen said to Ms Murphy: 'You haven't told her about when you were cheating on me.'"

Allen is then alleged to have said: "You are lucky I didn't slit your throat when that happened."

Mr Blissett later saw his sister Angel having an epileptic fit in the living room of another house in Elfrida Close.

When he went into the kitchen of this property he saw Allen dragging Ms Murphy to the floor by her hair, the court heard.

Mr Bennetts said: "In his right hand Allen held a mug which he was swinging at Ms Murphy. Blood was coming from her head."

The prosecutor alleged that Allen "hit, kicked or punched" his victim at least 10 times. Mr Blissett attempted to stop the attack by throwing a bottle at Allen.

Mr Blissett later noticed a door panel had been broken.

Allen and Ms Murphy were swearing at each other, the court heard.

When Allen then drove away, Mr Blissett saw Ms Murphy in the doorway.

"I've just been weighed in. I've just had a madness..."

She cried out saying she had been stabbed and collapsed.

Police and paramedics were called to the scene but Ms Murphy was later pronounced dead.

The jury heard how Allen was then alleged to have phoned a friend, telling him: "I've just been weighed in. I've just had a madness."

Mr Bennetts said a knife was found in the front passenger seat of a car.

But when Allen was later arrested he told officers: "Why have I been arrested for murder, of who... are you serious?

"I ain't done nothing wrong... I ain't stabbed no one."

But Mr Bennetts said it was accepted that Allen had been armed with a knife and the Crown allege he deliberately stabbed Ms Murphy in the leg.

The case continues.