A HUDDERSFIELD hairdresser stabbed his lover more than 20 times in a jealous rage, a court was told.

Andrew Banks was also accused of stamping on Rebecca Richards’ head after she said she wanted them to split.

But at Bradford Crown Court Banks, 41, pleaded not guilty to attempted murder.

The court was told that Banks – who worked for many years in a Huddersfield hairdressing salon – had wanted to start a family with his partner.

But Miss Richards, 22, wanted to end their relationship.

The horror of the attack was relived in court by Miss Richards, who said: “When he wasn’t stabbing me he was kicking me, mostly in the face.

“I was screaming at him to stop.

“He was saying: ‘If I can’t have you. no-one else can’.”

The case continues.

Ex-fiance denies murder attempt

A JEALOUS lover punched, kicked and stamped on his former fiancée’s head before returning with a two knives and stabbing her, a court heard yesterday.

Huddersfield hairdresser Andrew Banks cut Rebecca Richards over 20 times across her head and body on December 28 at a house they had shared in Wheatley, Halifax.

Banks, 41, pushed Miss Richards, 22, down the stairs at the house after she had refused to go back to him, Bradford Crown Court was told.

Banks denies attempted murder.

Opening the prosecution’s case, counsel Andrew Kershaw told a jury the accused had said that if he couldn’t have Miss Richards – no-one could – before launching into an assault.

Mr Kershaw said Banks had returned to the kitchen before coming back with another pair of knives before continuing to stab Miss Richards.

Miss Richards told the court: “When he wasn’t stabbing me he was kicking me, mostly in the face.

“I was screaming at him to stop. He was saying: ‘If I can’t have you, no-one can’. But in the next breath he was telling me that he loved me…

“He said: ‘Oh my God, look what I’ve done to you’.”

The court heard the attack began after the defendant had collected Miss Richards from work so she could collect some of her possessions.

Mr Kershaw said the defendant had wanted to start a family with Miss Richards. The court heard he had threatened to end his life after the bank worker had broken off their relationship, which began in 2004.

He added Banks had repeatedly phoned and texted Miss Richards begging her to come back after she had moved to her parents’ on December 10, 2007.

Mr Kershaw continued that Banks, after the assault, had refused for five hours to call an ambulance.

The court heard the defendant had made Miss Richards sign a piece of paper saying she had stabbed herself to show to paramedics.

The jury was told while she lay drifting in and out of consciousness Banks had read texts on her mobile phone.

Mr Kershaw added Banks had texted three of Miss Richard’s male friends saying the couple were in love and they had just had the “best sex ever”.

The court was told Banks had sent a text to Miss Richard’s mother saying her daughter was okay.

Miss Richards told the jury of five men and seven women: “I told him if he didn’t ring an ambulance I would probably die. He said he wouldn’t and he didn’t care.”

Case proceeding.