The jury in the case of an Ealing woman accused of stabbing to death her boyfriend has retired to consider its verdict.
Jeweller Elizabeth Hart-Browne, 27, was hysterical and said "I have just killed the man I love" after plunging a large kitchen knife into Stephen Rayner's neck at their flat in Acton, the Old Bailey has heard.
The court was told that a row had erupted after Hart-Browne came home from a family party on the evening of September 17 last year.
With young children sleeping feet away, she allegedly picked up a knife and stabbed Mr Rayner three times, inflicting a fatal wound to the neck.
He staggered outside and collapsed in a pool of blood as shocked neighbours rushed to help.
The court heard Hart-Browne, who was barefoot and was missing an earring, was hysterical as she told police: "I didn't mean to do it, I'm so sorry. I have just killed the man I love."
She has denied murdering the 25-year-old call centre worker, saying she believed he was going to kill her as he had threatened to do in the past.
Hart-Browne told jurors Mr Rayner was violent towards her and sometimes took on the persona of his idol, Britain's most notorious prisoner, Charles Bronson, when he got angry.
The jury was sent out to begin deliberations by trial judge Wendy Joseph QC on Monday (April 24) afternoon.
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