A 46-YEAR-OLD man prone to bouts of heavy drinking stabbed a kitchen knife through the heart of another man with such force the blade bent, a court heard.

David Kilcullen, of The Avenue, Bickley, is alleged to have stabbed 59-year-old Gerry Edwards to death in March.

He is also accused of attacking Mr Edwards’ partner, Chris Bevan, at the couple’s flat in Page Heath Villas, Bickley.

Kilcullen, who denies murder and attempted murder, appeared at The Old Bailey on Monday for the start of a trial which is expected to last one week.

Prosecutors claim Kilcullen visited Mr Bevan and Mr Edwards at their home during stormy weather on the night of March 3, hounding them about their gay relationship in a “distasteful way”.

Peter Wright, prosecuting, said Kilcullen repeatedly stabbed Mr Edwards before attacking Mr Bevan when he came to his partner’s aid.

Mr Edwards suffered a “catastrophic” loss of blood and was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

Mr Wright said: “The fatal wound was a stab wound which was delivered with the kitchen knife and with such force it went straight through his breast bone.

“The nature and location of the stab wound speaks volumes as to what Mr Kilcullen intended.

“Not satisfied with the injuries he had inflicted on Mr Edwards, Mr Kilcullen turned his attention to his partner, Mr Bevan.

“This was an unprovoked act from a man who had armed himself with a knife.”

He added: “The only thing which saved Mr Bevan is he had the presence of mind to flee the house and raise the alarm.”

Both of Mr Bevan’s lungs were punctured in the attack and the 57-year-old has since had his spleen removed.

The court heard the attack was so violent the knife became badly bent, but Kilcullen picked up a bottle and continued to assault Mr Bevan in the lounge as Mr Edwards lay dying in the kitchen.

Mr Wright said: “The knife was put down and the bottle picked up and a seated Mr Bevan was struck a number of blows.

“It was a matter of chance Mr Bevan survived.”

Mr Bevan spent months in a critical condition in hospital and has still not fully recovered.

The jury was shown images of his injuries and a single shocking photograph of Mr Edwards lying dead in the kitchen.

Prosecutors say Kilcullen crucially left the murder weapon and a sock covered in his DNA at the scene before fleeing.

They say the knife matched another left on the draining board in Kilcullen’s bedsit.

And Mr Wright said Kilcullen was claiming he was acting in self-defence after being sexually assaulted by Mr Bevan and Mr Edwards.

Mr Wright argued: “The defence now asserts the injuries inflicted were in an act of self defence.

“We say nothing could be further from the truth.”

The trial continues.