A MAN struggling to get over a break-up with his girlfriend, stabbed her with a kitchen knife after lying in wait one night.

Andrew Morrow confronted the 19-year-old woman when she returned to her family home following a night out on December 18.

Durham Crown Court heard that having waited in the garden he entered via the kitchen when she got back to the house.

Nigel Soppitt, prosecuting, said Morrow told her: “It didn’t take you long to move on, you s***.”

He punched her three times in the stomach, grabbed her by the throat and threw her to the settee.

Mr Soppitt said the woman’s sister and mother tried to go to her aid.

But Morrow punched her sister in the face, causing her a bloody nose.

Mr Soppitt said during the course of the incident Morrow was armed with two knives and his former girlfriend noticed she was bleeding from the stomach.

“It would appear he punctured her clothing with the knife causing a superficial cut to the stomach,” he said.

She was treated at the scene by paramedics who also revived her sister, as she had collapsed.

Mr Soppitt said it appeared Morrow took the knives with him to the house.

Morrow, 29, of Second Street, Blackhall Colliery, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm, assault, and two counts of possessing an offensive weapon.

Lewis Kerr, mitigating, said: “This behaviour was a manifestation of the difficulties he had getting over the break-up of the relationship.

“He turned quite heavily to drink and accepts behaving in an appalling and irrational way.”

Jailing him for two years, Judge Esmond Faulks told Morrow it was “fortunate” the victim’s clothing appears to have cushioned the force of the knife blow.

He imposed an indefinite restraining order forbidding him contacting his ex-girlfriend, her sister or mother, or entering any street where they are living.