Jurors hear night of heavy drinking ends in tragedy

A POLISH drinker was stabbed to death by a man hours after he had warned him to stay away from his wife, a court heard.

Jurors at the Old Bailey heard claims that Maciej Novak from Kensal Rise, was knifed by 52-year-old Andrew Whitefield after yelling at him “Don’t you ever touch my f***ing wife.”

The men had been drinking together, along with Mr Novak’s wife Jacqueline, at the home of friend Maria Burns in Kentish Town, on October 30 last year.

Prosecutor Philip Bennetts QC said a ‘significant’ amount of alcohol was consumed between the group, before the two men fell out.

Mr Novak had taken a bottle of vodka and four cans of Budweiser to the flat, his wife had four cans of lager and Whitefield had also visited a shop before arriving at about 10.30pm.

Ms Burns and Mr Novak sat together drinking the vodka, and Whitefield was sat alongside Mrs Novak.

Mr Bennetts said: “Maciej Novak became upset and said to this defendant ‘don’t you ever touch my f***ing wife, don’t you ever go near my wife’ and there was a fight.”

The pair were separated, Mr Novak left the room and was thought to have left the flat.

His wife, who had pulled the brawling men apart, fell asleep on the sofa but was woken sometime later by Whitefield who was holding a knife.

He is alleged to have told her: “I have stabbed your husband three times, I think I have killed him.”

Mr Novak was rushed to hospital where he underwent surgery but died hours later on October 31.

Mr Bennetts told the jury Whitefield will claim he acted in self-defence.

Whitefield from Holloway, north London, denies murder.

The trial continues.