AN ASYLUM-SEEKER accused of stabbing his former partner in the neck had told her: “One day, I will kill you”, a court heard.

Alex Gebreys admits attacking her while she was asleep with their 15-month-old son but denies trying to kill her.

Gebreys is on trial at Teesside Crown Court for attempted murder. He has admitted wounding Sehma Kidani, 24, with intent to do her grievous bodily harm.

Mark Giuliani, prosecuting, said Ms Kidani, was found in the bedroom of her Stephen Street home in Hartlepool on November 23 last year.

He said: “The victim was laying on the bed covered in blood, her young son was half under her body, also covered in blood. She was semi-conscious.

“She was found to be stabbed seven times, five of which were in her neck and had caused serious spinal damage.”

The court heard a cut to her neck about the same width as a blood stained knife found on the landing.

Mr Giuliani said: “She has regained function to her left side, but to this day remains in hospital without any function to her right side.”

The court heard that Gebreys, 30, told police he stabbed her once and scratched her face to frighten her.

“He said he entered the home and picked up a knife in an attempt to scare her, because she was going out with another man.

“Then he went upstairs and stabbed her. He said he then dropped the knife and left the house quickly.”

He added that when Gebreys arrived at the police station, he asked officers: “Excuse me, my girlfriend dead?”

The jury heard that the pair met in Calais while both were heading to the UK to seek asylum in December 2014.

“Ms Kidani fell pregnant and arrived in the UK with the defendant, who had not been granted asylum.

“He was often very violent towards her. He would often say to her ‘one day, I will kill you’.”

Gebreys, of no fixed abode, denies attempted murder on November 23, last year.

The trial continues.