A SUFFOLK man who was upset when his girlfriend found a new partner killed his love rival by stabbing him in the heart, it has been alleged.Kieran Botterill went to his former girlfriend's flat in Trinity Walk, Stowupland in the early hours of the morning after drinking a “significant amount” of alcohol and hammered and shouted at the door until he was let in, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

A SUFFOLK man who was upset when his girlfriend found a new partner killed his love rival by stabbing him in the heart, it has been alleged.

Kieran Botterill went to his former girlfriend's flat in Trinity Walk, Stowupland in the early hours of the morning after drinking a “significant amount” of alcohol and hammered and shouted at the door until he was let in, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

As Heidi Stevens, who had been in an “on and off” relationship with Botterill, opened the door she saw he was holding a knife which he immediately held to her throat, said Patricia Lynch, prosecuting.

Miss Stevens fell backwards on to a bed with Botterill on top of her and as she struggled to get away she felt a hard blow to her eye.

Botterill had then gone into the sitting room and had been involved in a scuffle with Miss Steven's new boyfriend Zak Brown. All three people were regular heroin users.

As Miss Stevens went towards them she heard 21-year-old Mr Brown shout “He's stabbed me”. Mr Brown managed to stagger out of the flat and knock at the doors of a neighbouring block of flats for help.

A number of people tried to help him but he was dead by the time the paramedics arrived, said Miss Lynch.

A post mortem examination found he died from a single stab wound to his heart.

Botterill, 26, of Soames Close, Stowmarket has denied murdering Mr Brown, of Woodbridge Road, Ipswich on September l0 last year.

At the beginning of September last year Miss Stevens realised her relationship with Botterill was over and asked him to move out of her flat.

On Sunday September 9 Miss Stevens and Mr Brown, who had been seeing each other for about two weeks, were at her flat in the afternoon when Botterill arrived to collect his belongings in what was described to the court as an amicable visit with no arguing.

At about 2.30am the following morning the couple were about to go to bed when Botterill arrived at the flat and started hammering on the door.

After the stabbing Miss Stevens had left her flat to look for Mr Brown and was told by Botterill “He's dead”.

Botterill had run off and was heard shouting “You're dead. You're dead. You're D E A D,” said Miss Lynch.

He was arrested at 3.30am and had collapsed to the ground crying “Just shoot me. I know you have got a gun.”

As he was being taken away in a police van he told officers that he was facing a life sentence and that he would be dead before he got out.

Miss Lynch said Botterill had consumed a significant amount of alcohol that afternoon and evidence of drug use had been found in his blood.

She said Botterill accepted going to the flat armed with a knife and unlawfully killing Mr Brown and the jury would have to decide whether or not Botterill intended to either kill Mr Brown or do him really serious bodily harm.

The trial continues today (Wed).