Man slashed his partner's neck with a meat cleaver during furious row when he tried to wrestle the weapon from her hands, court hears

A man accused of trying to snap his partner's neck with a meat cleaver denies attempted murder claiming her injuries were an accident, an Old Bailey judge heard.

William Clapperton, 58, allegedly slashed his partner's throat during a furious argument at their flat in Varsity Drive, Twickenham, south west London, on February 17, before impaling himself on a knife, the court heard. 

Prosecutors said he intended to kill his partner Napangkawarin Clapperton, a Thai national known as Pat, but Clapperton argues her injuries inflicted by the meat cleaver were an accident.

Clapperton denies the charge of attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm with intent, telling London's Central Criminal Court that his partner's injuries happened when he tried to wrestle the weapon away from her during the argument. 

William Clapperton, 58, denies attempted murder claiming his partner'sinjuries were an accident, a judge heard at London's Central Criminal Court

Dressed in a blue jumper and grey bottoms in court Clapperton told jurors how the pair had fallen into bed together in the early hours after the argument, with each refusing to let go of the handle of the cleaver.

When he awoke Clapperton claimed he was was 'shocked' to see 'Pat' caked in dry blood.

Clapperton told the court: 'I saw Pat, she was sitting up and she was looking at me directly in the face. I was shocked.

'I could see her face full of blood. It was drying blood. That was the first indication I had. I still did not know the extent of the injuries because of the amount of blood on her face.

'I was crying by now. She said "Honey, are you okay?', I said 'No, I am not".'

Pat left the block of flats using her own keys and was treated in hospital for injuries to her face and neck.

After she left Clapperton cut his wrists before collapsing on top of a knife, he told the court.

He said: 'I took a very sharp pointed knife and I then took a bottle of rum and I went back into the bedroom. I cut my wrists.

'I do not know with what intent. I was not thinking. I was still in shock. There was quite a lot of blood pouring over the bedroom floor.

'I put it on the bed and collapsed on top of the knife. The last thing I remember was air escaping from my lung. I was deeply remorseful.

'I had never raised my hands to Pat before and I felt ashamed I had contributed to these injuries.'

Doctors had to wash away blood from her face and hair which was matted together before they could stitch her wounds when she attended St Mary's Hospital in Paddington.

Dr Ashley Fegan-Earl found the wounds to the neck were caused by slashing through skin and fat.

Clapperton and 'Pat' had been together for 14 years before the fight.

Jurors heard she worked as in a massage parlour while he was searching for employment in London.

Clapperton, of Twickenham, denies attempted murder and the lesser alternative of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

The trial continues.