A 26-year-old Suffolk man killed his love rival by stabbing him through the heart after taking a cocktail of drink and drugs, a court has heard.Kieran Botterill went to his former girlfriend Heidi Stevens' home in Trinity Walk, Stowupland, in the early hours of the morning because he was upset that she had formed a new relationship with 21-year-old Zac Brown, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

A 26-year-old Suffolk man murdered his love rival by stabbing him through the heart, a court has heard.

Kieran Botterill went to his former girlfriend Heidi Stevens' home in Trinity Walk, Stowupland, in the early hours of the morning because he was upset that she had formed a new relationship with 21-year-old Zac Brown, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Botterill hammered on Miss Stevens' door and when she let him in he allegedly held a knife to her throat and assaulted her before attacking Mr Brown and stabbing him once through the heart.

While Miss Stevens struggled with Botterill Mr Brown managed to stagger out of the flat to get help from neighbours but collapsed and died shortly afterwards, said Patricia Lynch prosecuting.

Botterill had run off and was allegedly heard shouting: “You're dead. You're dead. You are D E A D.”

When he was arrested he had collapsed crying on the ground and told officers: “Just shoot me. I know you've got a gun,” said Miss Lynch.

En route to the police station he allegedly said: “Look at me now. What am I looking at - life. I'll be dead before I get out.”

He had also been abusive about women in general and said: “I have got a heart. All I ever wanted was some love,” said Miss Lynch.

Botterill of Soames Close, Stowupland has denied murdering Mr Brown of Woodbridge Road, Ipswich in the early hours of September 10 last year.

Miss Lynch told the court that Miss Stevens, Mr Brown and the defendant had all been regular heroin users.

Miss Stevens and Botterill had had an on off relationship and at the beginning of September last year she had asked Botterill to move out of her flat after she began seeing Mr Brown.

Miss Lynch told the court that Botterill “clearly had a grudge” and went to Miss Stevens' flat on the night in question. She said he accepted that he was armed with a knife and that he had unlawfully killed Mr Brown.

She said the issue for the jury was whether or not Botterill intended to either kill Mr Brown or to do him really serious harm.

Miss Lynch said that in a prepared statement to police Botterill had said he had consumed a “considerable amount” of alcohol on the night in question and evidence of drug use had been found in his blood.

The trial continues.