Man accused of stabbing his girlfriend to death tells murder trial jury he repeatedly slapped her to 'keep her conscious'

A man accused of fatally stabbing his girlfriend during a row told a murder trial jury the death had been a tragic accident.

Kevin Mannion, 45, insisted a series of slaps he was heard delivering to Elinor O'Brien, 22, during a fraught 999 call after she had been stabbed in the groin were 'to keep her conscious'.

Ms O'Brien suffered a deep stab wound to her groin during the alleged attack outside Mr Mannion's apartment at Great Northern Tower on Watson Street in the city centre on August 16 last year. She was taken to hospital but died three days later after developing 'catastrophic' brain injury following cardiac arrest.

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Mr Mannion denies murder and coercive or controlling behaviour. Prosecutors allege that Elinor suffered 'injury after injury' at the hands of Mannion during their eight-month relationship - including a separate stab wound to her left breast just two days before the incident which led to her death.

But before her death, Mr Mannion said his head had been 'messed up' after another woman he had been seeing told him she was pregnant. He admitted seeing both women at the same time for 'a few weeks' before the pregnancy. He said he loved Elinor.

Mr Mannion, giving evidence for a second day, told a jury at Liverpool Crown Court today (Wednesday) that during the evening before Elinor suffered fatal stab injuries her phone was used to order food via Deliveroo.

The defendant admitted the pair had argued during a night out and continued to argue when they arrived back at the apartment.

Mr Mannion said 'everything had calmed down' on their return to the apartment and that he had helped hold her hair back when she got