Man denies police station murder

An officer hit Mr Akhter three times with his baton in the car park

Officers were unable to stop a man repeatedly stabbing his estranged partner in a police station car park, a court has heard.

Nahed Akhter pulled a large kitchen knife from his jacket and attacked Yvonne Heap after she ended their 22-year relationship, Oxford Crown Court was told.

The 40-year-old denies murder after stabbing the mother of his three children outside Cowley Police Station in Oxford, but admits manslaughter.

Ms Heap, 39, had complained that Mr Akhter was harassing her and had sent her a video tape of a documentary about her cousin, who had been murdered by her own husband.

Cupid's arrow will bring our love back again forever Entry in Nahed Akhter's diary

On 26 April she went to the police station with a friend to complain about him pouring paint stripper on her car.

The defendant was on his mobile phone to Ms Heap's sister at the time and she said the last words she heard him say were: "Yvonne, you need a shave".

Sergeant Colin Payne said he saw Mr Akhter strike a knife through the open car door with such force that the car rocked.

He had to hit Mr Akhter three times with his baton before he surrendered.

Crossbow catalogue

Ms Heap was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery but died two days later.

A post mortem examination revealed she had been stabbed 12 times in the head, face, neck, chest, hands and legs.

It is alleged Mr Akhter became enraged when he heard his ex-partner had started a relationship with another man a month after leaving their home in Sunnyside, Cowley, with their children aged 16, 11 and eight.

Prosecutor John Price said friends became worried when Mr Akhter told them he planned to kill her - one even finding him sharpening knives in the night.

After his arrest, police found a second knife in his car, plastic ties, a pair of handcuffs in his jacket, a crossbow catalogue and a roll of tape at home.

In the diary he had made a shopping list of weapons and written a note about a crossbow company next to the words: "Cupid's arrow will bring our love back again forever."

The trial continues.