A MAN who was stabbed to death in a frenzied attack had confronted his alleged attacker with a knife and tried to rugby tackle him to the ground, a court has heard.

Ipswich Crown Court heard evidence from Claire Kislak, the partner of Lee Jackson who died after suffering multiple injuries during the alleged attack last October.

Sebastian Kornjaca, of St Anthony’s Crescent, Ipswich, has denied murdering Mr Jackson.

It has been alleged that Kornjaca went to Mr Jackson’s flat at around 5am on October 22 because he suspected he was responsible for an alleged arson at the home of his girlfriend’s parents in Coltsfoot Road, Ipswich earlier the same night.

Claire Kislak, 23, told the court yesterday that after being awoken by loud banging at their door, Mr Jackson had armed himself with a large knife he kept by their bed.

He told her to call the police and, when she went to see what was happening, she saw him open the front door of the flats and tell Kornjaca, who was half way up a staircase, to leave because the police were coming.

Kornjaca, 22, hadn’t left and shortly afterwards she saw Mr Jackson and neighbour David Akers rugby-tackle Kornjaca, who was holding a knife, to the ground on the staircase. She described seeing Mr Jackson, who was also holding a knife, try to disarm Kornjaca by making “stabbing” movements at his hand.

Questioned by defence counsel Gregory Dickinson, Claire Kislak denied seeing Mr Jackson stabbing at Kornjaca’s chest and saying “I’ll do life for you.”

The court also heard evidence from Mr Akers, who lived in the same block of flats in Chesterton Close as 43-year-old Mr Jackson.

Mr Akers told the court that Mr Jackson had tripped and fallen over backwards as he was trying to get away from Kornjaca and was lying on his back when Kornjaca started stabbing his legs.

Mr Akers, whose nickname is “Shaky”, said he heard Mr Jackson shouting “Help me, Shaky”.

Giving evidence on the second day of Kornjaca’s murder trial at Ipswich Crown Court, Mr Akers said Mr Jackson tried to get away from Kornjaca by crawling backwards on his elbows towards a rear door of the premises.

Mr Akers told the court that he had tried to kick Kornjaca but claimed Kornjaca had started “slashing” at him to get him to stop.

Mr Akers ran outside and claimed that as he looked back he saw Kornjaca stand over Mr Jackson and stab him seven to nine times, using his “whole body weight”. The trial continues today.