A MARRIED father of four accused of stabbing his former lover to death told a court he "can't remember" how she received two deadly knife wounds to the chest.

Stuart 'George' Thomas, 49, allegedly knifed Scottish hairdresser Katrina O'Hara, 44, twice in the chest at the barbers where she worked after they split following an affair - but suggested she must have stabbed herself.

Her body was found at the back of Jocks Barbers in Blandford on January 7 this year.

Thomas had previously been arrested on suspicion of harassing mother-of-three Miss O'Hara and at the time of the alleged murder was on bail on the condition he could not contact her, Winchester Crown Court heard.

Thomas said he could recall walking into Blandford with a knife on the day of Miss O'Hara's death.

According to Thomas, there was a "struggle" and he produced the kitchen knife to show Miss O'Hara that he would kill himself. 

However, he denies stabbing her.

During cross-examination by Nigel Lickley QC, prosecuting, Thomas claimed he "can't remember" whether the wounds to Miss O'Hara's chest were caused when he was holding the knife or if she stabbed herself to death.

"I can't remember. I remember holding the knife to my wrist," he said.

Mr Lickley said: "You took the knife into the barbers shop and you took it out of the barbers shop.

"Having stabbed her in the chest you turned and walked away, leaving her there.

"You didn't have any care for that lady's welfare at all - what did you do you help her?"

Thomas repeatedly said: "I can't recall anything."

When asked if he had dialled 999 for an ambulance for Miss O'Hara he replied: "My mind wasn't there."

Thomas, a self-employed builder, said: "I wanted to give her some letters.

"I wanted to let her read them and lead her mind back to where things had gone wrong."

Asked why he had taken the knife, the defendant said: "I wanted to make her aware I was serious about her and I wouldn't harm her and I thought it might help.

"It was to harm myself."

He added: "I felt that some of the time the arguing was not my fault it was 50/50, and I wanted her to read for herself.

"I wanted to know her reason and put it on paper for her to read."

Thomas said his memory is a "bit on and off" when asked why he only recalls certain events on the day of Miss O'Hara's death.

Part of Thomas's defence statement was read out in court by Mr Lickley, who said: "Mr Thomas has no recollection of the key events but denies he had at any point formed an intention to harm Katrina O'Hara on that day."

Addressing Thomas, Mr Lickley said: "You know what happened really.

"You were angry but you were fully in control of what you did when you stabbed that lady intending to kill her."

When quizzed about his recollection of events, Thomas said: "I admit my memory isn't the best."

Thomas denies murder.

The trial continues.