A-level student in court after fatally stabbing her boyfriend with steak knife

Hours after learning that she'd failed to get the exam results she wanted, 19-year-old Katherine McGrath stabbed her boyfriend through the heart in a drunken argument, a court has heard.

Hours after learning that she'd failed to get the exam results that would enable her to go to university, 19-year-old Katherine McGrath stabbed her boyfriend through the heart in a drunken argument, a court has heard.

Katherine McGrath, 19, denies murdering 22-year-old Alyn Thomas at her home in Brackla, Bridgend.

She told emergency operators in the minutes after the attack that she was acting in self defence because Mr Thomas suddenly attacked her, the Times Online reports.

On the morning of 20 August last year, the accused and Mr Thomas went to Brynteg Comprehensive School in Bridgend to collect McGrath's exam results for the university admission. She was hoping to attend university but did not get high enough grades.

The pair then spent the afternoon getting drunk on Malibu, lager and cider before returning to McGrath's family home, when an argument started. This was due to an incident earlier that evening when a female colleague of Mr Thomas had offered to buy him a drink.

Prosecutor Roger Thomas QC said that during the argument Alyn Thomas's mood 'suddenly and drastically' changed. McGrath claims Mr Thomas pushed her in the living room and then came towards her with an 'angry' look on his face.

She took a steak knife from the drawer to scare Mr Thomas but stabbed him after he bit her thumb, the court heard.

She was taken to the police station where she told officers: 'My boyfriend pushed me to the floor twice ... he's got two convictions for assault.

'He started biting me and I didn't know what to do. I just wanted him to get away from me

'I love him'

The trial continues.