Jealous Whitfield man 'stabbed wife before turning knife on himself'
by Keith Hunt
A man tried to kill his estranged wife by stabbing her
three times - and then plunged the knife into his own body as
police broke into their home, a court heard.
Bulgarian Nikolay Batkadzhov knifed Cristina Cilipic twice in
the neck and once in the chest, it was alleged.
Martin Yale, prosecuting, said after an officer smashed down the
door he was sprayed with Miss Cilipic's blood.
The policeman tried to calm down Batkadzhov, but he laughed
and stabbed himself, Mr Yale told a jury at Maidstone Crown
Court.
Both narrowly escaped fatal injuries and needed surgery in
hospital, Batkadzhov to have the blade removed.
Miss Cilipic, a Romanian, met 27-year-old Batkadzhov when they
were working at Newmafruits Farm in Chartham, near Canterbury. They
married and had a daughter, Camellia, who has been living in
Moldova with Miss Cilipic's parents.
Mr Yale said the relationship deteriorated and in December 2011
Batkadzhov was cautioned for assaulting Miss Cilipic.
Until early April last year they had lived together in Farncombe
Way, Whitfield, Dover, with Miss Cilipic's brother Alexandru. She
had by then slept with another work colleague, Rafal Tutka.
"In the period leading up to the attack, it seems Mr
Batkadzhov's jealousy was building and his behaviour became more
and more possessive," said Mr Yale.
Nikolay Batkadzhov is on
trial at Maidstone Crown Court
The day before the attack on Sunday April 8 last year,
Batkadzhov had been hanging around the caravan site where
Newmafruits workers lived - believing his wife was there with
Mr Tutka.
Later that evening, he turned up at the Whitfield address while
just Miss Cilipic's brother was there. Mr Cilipic left Batkadzhov
sleeping there the next afternoon.
When Miss Cilipic arrived home, Batkadzhov is said to
have awoken and was immediately aggressive, striking her and
pulling her hair.
"He was challenging her over why she did not want to be with
him," said the prosecutor. "The topic of divorce came up, but he
said he did not have the money for a divorce.
"As this was going on, he was drinking cans of lager. He
challenged her over having an affair. He started to ask her if she
was 'ready', saying he would kill her. He then went on to attack
her."
Batkadzhov denies attempted murder and an alternative charge of
wounding with intent. The trial continues.
08/01/13
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