A JEALOUS ex-boyfriend stabbed his former partner to death the day after he was released from prison, a court heard.

Joseph Davies, aged 36, then fled to the Netherlands, where he was hit by a train, losing half his leg, Manchester Crown Court was told.

Davies is accused of stabbing Kelly Davies 22 times at her home in Farnworth on June 2 last year.

The court heard he fled the country in a hurry and was tracked down a few days later after he was hit by a train in The Hague.

The injury, which happened on June 5, was so serious that Davies had to have his right leg amputated below the knee.

Yesterday he hobbled into the dock on crutches and was allowed to sit throughout the proceedings.

The jury was told that Davies accused Ms Davies of seeing other men while he was in prison, and they were seen arguing on the Friday evening just hours after his release.

Ms Davies was last seen alive on CCTV at 7.48pm heading back to her home.

Later that evening, at 11.27pm, Davies was captured getting a taxi to Manchester Airport.

He went inside the terminal shortly before midnight, but then came out and got another taxi to London, costing £530, which he paid in cash.

He then spent £276 on a Eurostar ticket to Lille in France.

Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, said: “He wanted to leave the country urgently. He had no luggage. All he had were the clothes he was standing up in.

“We say his sudden urgency to travel was not a consequence of his recent release from prison and desire to start a new life, but a desire to leave the country because he had just extinguished the life of his former partner, Kelly Davies, by stabbing her to death.”

The court heard that their relationship had been punctuated with periods of separation. On release from prison he headed straight back to Farnworth to see Ms Davies.

The pair visited various addresses in Farnworth and Tonge Moor on Friday evening, and were given a lift back to Ms Davies flat by a family friend, Vincent Walmsley, who saw them arguing.

Mr Wright added: “Joseph Davies believed she had been engaged in a relationship and was accusing her of cheating on him.

“During the argument he threatened her and threatened to chop her up. We say he was as good as his word later.”

The following day Davies visited family and then he was seen on CCTV with Ms Davies getting a takeaway.

The prosecution say Ms Davies, aged 31, was killed on Saturday, between 7.48pm, when she was last seen, and 11.27pm, when Davies hurriedly got a taxi to the airport.

Ms Davies’ body was discovered at 12.30pm the following Monday by Mr Walmsley.

The court heard he entered the flat with a key and found Ms Davies on the sofa. Mr Wright said it was clear to him that she was dead.

He told the court that she had multiple stab wounds including to her throat, face and hands.

Mr Wright said there were no signs of a struggle, and that was consistent with her being attacked when she was unaware of a threat.

Davies, of no fixed address, has pleaded not guilty to murder. He was in hospital for several weeks after his accident and was extradited to the UK on July 26.

The trial continues.