A college manager told police he was “very much in love” with his psychology lecturer partner just a month before he allegedly stabbed her to death at their Wolverhampton home.

Stephen Dowds, aged 49, told officers interviewing him that he was “disgusted” at the injuries he inflicted on

Mandy Finn, a 40-year-old mother-of-two, after they returned from a Frankie Boyle gig at the Civic Hall in October last year, just weeks before she was killed.

Dowds, student services manager at Wolverhampton College, is accused of murdering Miss Finn on the weekend of November 20 last year. She was stabbed 60 times.

The former teacher at The King’s School in Tettenhall, told officers in his interview for the earlier assault that they had argued over text messages from his ex-wife.

He told officers: “She just started arguing, saying things about betrayal. I said she was being ridiculous, and she stormed out of the room.”

Miss Finn returned with a kitchen knife with a four-inch blade and prodded him in the chest, as she verbally abused him.

He said: “I was feeling threatened. I took the knife off her and we fought.” He admitted hitting her in what he described as a bar-room brawl, before trying to calm her down by putting a cushion over her face. He added: “We don’t normally argue, I’m very much in love with her.”

Dowds was charged with the attack and appeared before magistrates. He was told to have no contact with Miss Finn, who lived with him at Newhampton Road West.

Mr Andrew Lockhart QC, prosecuting, said the October attack “was a precursor to her murder” a month later.

Dowds, who denies murder, admitted killing Miss Finn in a 999 call made the day after she is believed to have died.

When officers were called, they found him “calm and compliant”.  He told them she was behind a sofa, and officers saw Miss Finn lying on her back with a large knife next to her.

Dowds was arrested and initially answered “no comment” when questioned. He later said he told told the 999 operator he had killed Miss Finn because he “assumed” that was what happened, but he could not remember it.

The trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court continues on Monday.