Ex-cage-fighter ‘stabbed beautician lover to death’ in ‘remorseless attack’ before ‘knifing a stranger on the street’
A FORMER cage-fighter stabbed his beautician lover to death in a row over her sex life before knifing a stranger in the street, a court has heard.
Andrew Wadsworth, 37, allegedly killed his former partner Melissa Belshaw in a "prolonged, remorseless and deliberate" knife attack after being released from prison on licence.
The victim, 32, made a "futile attempt to defend herself" from the attack - but when she lost consciousness, Wadsworth hid her body under a pile of clothes at her home in Billinge, near Wigan, it's alleged.
Prosecutor Tim Storrie told jurors the defendant was "magnetically attracted" to Ms Belshaw.
The couple had "a volatile relationship which was dependent on their mutual interest in drink, drugs and sex", the court heard.
After knifing Ms Belshaw, Wadsworth, an MMA expert, also tried to kill her hero neighbour Gerrard Bristow, it's claimed.
The prosecutor alleged Mr Bristow broke into the house after hearing screams from inside.
Mr Storrie told the trial at Manchester Crown Court that "only the timely arrival of the police had saved this man's life".
He said: "In the aftermath of the killing, Wadsworth came out into the street.
"He was still armed. He was still dangerous and his intentions were plainly still murderous."
CCTV footage shows Wadsworth advancing toward Mr Bristow, pinning him to the floor and stabbing him in the chest before being restrained by police officers, the court heard.
Paramedics and cops desperately tried to revive Ms Belshaw when they arrived at her home on the afternoon of May 20 this year, but she couldn't be saved.
A post-mortem examination revealed she sustained a series of "devastating" stab wounds delivered with severe force, it was heard.
Mr Storrie said Wadsworth and Ms Belshaw had rowed the night before at her home after taking cocaine and drinking alcohol.
At the time of the alleged murder, Wadsworth was on licence from a prison sentence. Probation officers and cop had concerns about his history of drug use, the prosecutor said.
Jurors heard the defendant admits the manslaughter of Ms Belshaw, but denies murder - claiming he acted "instinctively" and suffered a "loss of control".
His defence teams will say he lost his temper after Ms Belshaw made admissions about her sex life, but Mr Storrie said this is "fabricated as an excuse to stop him taking the blame".
The court heard that in the moments before her death, Ms Belshaw was "interrogated" over sexual relationships with other men.
"He was dissatisfied with her answers so he took a knife and stabbed her repeatedly, killing her," Mr Storrie said.
"Wadsworth was magnetically attracted to Ms Belshaw and her lifestyle, her use of cocaine, which did not make her submit to his will.
"He had his suspicions about her and believed she had been involved in sexual encounters with people he knew."
The prosecutor said jurors will see mobile phone footage recorded on the day of Ms Belshaw's death.
The video records parts of an exchange between the couple, it's alleged.
Mr Storrie said: "It is obvious they were intoxicated.
"The atmosphere was unhappy.
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"It is obvious he has her telephone and his tone is one of command.
"She appears to want him to leave. Within hours, she was dead."
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Wadsworth, of Wigan, has also denied counts of attempted murder and making a threat to kill a child.
The trial continues.
