A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD girl witnessed a woman twice stab her partner in fight at a house in Brecon.

Hayley Parrish claims she stabbed her then 21-year-old partner, Lee Grinham, in self defence during the argument sparked by a row over a computer tablet device.

A jury at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard Mr Grinham is alleged to have a struck another woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to the floor leaving her bloodied before then knocking Parrish to the floor and banging a door against her head.

The 29-year-old, of Brecon, shortly afterwards plunged a 14" kitchen knife into Mr Grinham's back, with one wound puncturing his lung in the April 5 incident.

Opening the case, on Tuesday, September 10, prosecutor Roger Griffiths told eight women and four male jurors: "There is no dispute that Hayley Parrish caused the wounding to Mr Grinham, what is in dispute is whether the wounding was done unlawfully or, as Ms Parrish claims, she was acting in lawful self-defence."

Mr Griffiths said all the adults had been drinking but an argument started after Mr Grinham had been asked to turn off a children's ipad, or tablet device, and had tried to do so by hitting it against a door.

The unnamed woman then allegedly threw a telephone at Mr Grinham and also pushed a large flat screen television in the house. Mr Grinham is then said to have attacked the women.

Mr Griffiths added: "At some stage the defendant got up and went into the kitchen and threw the cutlery draw onto the floor. The witness said Ms Parrish came across to Mr Grinham, who had his back to the defendant, and stabbed him twice to the back with a 14" kitchen knife.

"The witness who saw that happen is aged seven."

The child is due to give her evidence to the trial via a live video link.

Police were then called to the address: "They saw both women and Mr Grinham were injured. He was hardly conscious and by that stage was on the floor face down. He was wearing an Ospreys rugby shirt and the officers could see he had been stabbed in the back."

Mr Grinham was rushed to Abergavenny's Nevill Hall Hospital but didn't come around until five days later, after he had been transferred to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. He underwent surgery to repair cuts to his lung and has since recovered. He is due to give evidence during the trial.

Mr Griffiths said Parrish was also taken to hospital, in Swansea, and when she was eventually interviewed by police gave a prepared statement, stating she had twice stabbed Mr Grinham but had acted in her own defence and also in defence of the other woman.

Parrish denies wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) and an alternative charge of unlawful wounding and the case continues.