Man accused of attempted murder tells court he 'fell' on top of sister-in-law with knife

Gheorghe Mihai said he had been trying to return the large kitchen knife to Roxana Mihai when he fell across her body.

The 38-year-old said she ran away when he told her to "take the knife", because he knew it was forbidden to carry weapons on the streets.

"I did not threaten her with the knife," said Mihai. "I did not say I would cut her with the knife. I never said I was going to kill somebody."

The prosecution have alleged Mihai, who was jailed for seven years in Romania in 2006 for murder, savagely attacked his sister-in-law in the High Street after she refused to give him money to buy alcohol.

Matthew Brook, prosecuting, claimed that before the brutal attack Mihai had told a fellow Romanian, "I am going to kill somebody. I am going to jail for 10 years."

But in evidence to the jury, Mihai of Park Street, Lye, said: "I ran after her with the intention of returning the knife - not to harm her or kill her. She is my sister-in-law. We are family. We live in the same house."

He told Wolverhampton Crown Court: "I stretched out my hand to give her the knife. My brother then came from behind me and he hurt me. She fell over and I fell on top of her.

"I did not knock her to the floor. When I ran after her I wasn't angry. I had nothing against her.

"I did not intend to murder her at any time. I could not do any such thing. I never intended to cause her any harm.

"I have got a family. I have got a child. How could I do such a thing?"

Mihai has denied attempted murder and an alternative charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm The prosecution has alleged Mihai, who has also pleaded not guilty to possessing an offensive weapon, stabbed his sister-in-law five times.

Mihai had been drinking before the brutal attack and after chasing his sister-in-law he was described as a "man obsessed" as he raised the knife and stabbed her in the face, head, arm and back.

The trial continues.