A MAN accused of murdering his partner and then stabbing himself had a 20cm cut to his neck, a court heard yesterday.

Simon Keogh, who is standing trial at Teesside Crown Court accused of murdering teacher Lesley Grant, was found with such a deep cut to his neck that his windpipe could be seen, the jury heard.

Mr Keogh, 40, denies murdering Miss Grant, 43, a teacher at Whinney Banks Junior School, Middlesbrough, at the home they shared in Whitby Road, Loftus, Cleveland, on November 24, last year.

The court previously heard that when police arrived at the house they found Miss Grant dead in the kitchen with a knife sticking out of her chest, and Mr Keogh lying beside her, also with serious injuries.

Dr Elizabeth Thistlethwaite, an accident and emergency registrar at Middlesbrough General Hospital, told the jury when Mr Keogh was taken in he was in a "fairly critical state".

She added there were also two wounds to his chest, one to his wrist and three of his fingers were wounded.

Dr Thistlethwaite said Mr Keogh was not able to tell her where he had got his injuries and had a "reduced level of consciousness".

He was taken to theatre, she said, then intensive care.

Earlier this week, Jeremy Richardson QC, prosecuting, told the court Miss Grant and Mr Keogh had been partners for four years and lived together at Cemetery Lodge, in Loftus.

Mr Richardson said it was the Crown's case that Mr Keogh had killed Miss Grant, and then possibly tried to commit suicide, mutilating himself and turning on the gas in the house.

The trial continues