Walsall man accused of trying to stab ex-partner to death tells jury he was too drunk to remember attack
The man accused of attempting to murder his ex-partner by stabbing her with a broken beer bottle claims he cannot remember the incident.
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard Jeremy Holness, 40, inflicted a six-inch slash wound to Alison MacDonald's neck and cuts to her face when he attacked her in Walsall.
However, giving evidence for his defence Holness denied he wanted to kill Miss MacDonald during the incident which happened at about 10pm.
He said: "I have no reason to want to kill her."
The couple had split up a month before the attack but the pair remained in contact because they shared ownership of two puppies and Holness post was still being sent to her address.
Holness denied luring Miss MacDonald for a meeting by promising to return the two Chihuahuas which he had from her home days before.
He said: "I needed to see her to get post from probation which would tell me where my community service was, directions and a free bus pass."
After requesting his mail Holness said Miss MacDonald told him she would see him the day after.
However, after the break up he had been drinking heavily and told the jury he could not remember the day of the attack.
"I would have been drinking Guinness and vodka. I had lost my keys and my phone."
When Julian Lynch, for the defence, asked Holness if he remembered stabbing Miss MacDonald he said "no I do not remember that".
Holness claims the first thing he recalled of the day is "six or seven people" grabbing him after the assault and then being arrested in Birchills, in Walsall, on October 10, 2021.
He also told the court the first time he saw the broken Stella Artois bottle which was used to stab Miss MacDonald was when detectives showed him a picture in the police station.
Holness is from the Cayman Islands and the court heard he had a string of convictions in his homeland before moving to the UK in 2019. These included several burglaries, criminal damage, escaping from custody and was on probation in 2021 for drink driving.
Holness, of Stafford Street, Birchills, denies attempted murder. He also admitted a charge of burglary and theft.
The trial continues.
