A man stabbed his partner more than 20 times and attacked her daughter after he had drunk brandy and taken drugs at their Dalton home, a murder trial jury heard today.

Mark Minott pleaded guilty at Leeds Crown Court this morning to the manslaughter of his girlfriend Beverley Robinson who died on February 25 two days after the attack but denies her murder.

His defence maintain he suffered from a personality disorder which diminished his self-control at the time of the unlawful killing.

Minott also admitted today wounding her daughter Nateesha Hudson with intent to cause her grievous bodily harm on February 23 at their address in Greenlea Court.

Beverley Robinson
Beverley Robinson

Jonathan Sharp, prosecuting, told the jury it was the Crown’s case that the killing was a murder. A prosecution psychiatrist would say Minott did have some mental health difficulties but that the reason for his loss of control was that he was drunk and had taken drugs.

He said Minott and Beverley had met through a dating site and he moved in with her in November 2016. Around Valentine’s Day this year they moved with her daughter Nateesha, then 25 and her 10 year-old-son to a new home together in Greenlea Court.

Her daughter told police there had been few arguments between the couple, none serious and Minott tended to end up crying afterwards.

On the evening of February 22 when she returned home she thought everything was all right and went upstairs to her bedroom.

Video Loading

But unknown to her Minott later admitted he had been arguing with Beverley a lot that day.

Mr Sharp said: “He had also been drinking and that night he says he had downed half a bottle of brandy.”

Mr Sharp said Minott had also smoked cannabis throughout the day and had also taken Ecstasy and cocaine.

He added: “In one word he was intoxicated and it was in that state and the Crown say because of his condition he began his attack on Beverley Robinson.”

He claimed she was having a go at him in their bedroom around 2.15am and that she picked up a knife he had used to peel an apple and stabbed at him. Minott said he grabbed it from her and began stabbing her.

Beverley Robinson
Beverley Robinson

Nateesha, woken by her mother’s screams, saw her running downstairs with blood on her white dressing gown. Minott followed and in the hallway she saw him stabbing her mother repeatedly in the stomach.

Only 4ft 9ins tall, she was up against the wall and he was standing over her with her shouting “please stop.”

Nateesha also shouted at him and his reaction was to turn on her. She was stabbed through the hand she put out to protect herself and then to the stomach.

Both women went into the dining room slipping on their blood. They only escaped to a neighbour’s home for help when Minott was distracted by Beverley’s son appearing holding a phone and Minott going to him telling him to hand it over.

Leeds Combined Courts, Crown Court.

Mr Sharp said the neighbours rang for help. Beverley was in pain and slipping in and out of consciousness. Both were taken to Leeds General Infirmary where Nateesha spent five days but her mother did not survive wounds to her neck, chest and abdomen, having suffered severe internal injuries.

Minott had broken two knives during the attack.

Richard Wright QC defending said he was a man with no previous convictions and his actions were out of character in an otherwise loving relationship.

The trial continues.