A woman stabbed her love rival to death before fleeing the scene and going sunbathing, a court has been told.

Karla Biddle, of Aldbury Road, Yardley Wood stabbed 30-year-old Emma Bradshaw because they were both in a relationship with the same man, Warwick Crown Court heard.

Mark Wall, prosecuting, said Biddle had been in an on/off relationship with boyfriend Ashley Watson for 14 years and when the pair drifted apart, Mr Watson started a relationship with Miss Bradshaw.

“Karla knew about the new relationship and at times found it difficult having to share Ashley,” Mr Wall said.

He said that Biddle kept a diary of where Mr Watson was and knew that on the evening before the murder he was spending the night with Miss Bradshaw at his home in Berkeley Road, Shirley.

Mr Wall said Miss Bradshaw, who lived in Mere Green, Sutton Coldfield, was due to go on a college course in Solihull the following day.

“The last night of her life, Emma spent at Ashley’s house. Even though Ashley was with Emma, he still found time to send and receive text messages from Karla.”

Mr Wall said on the morning of May 14, Miss Bradshaw was alone in the house when Biddle confronted her on the doorstep at about 8am.

Once inside the house, Biddle stabbed the victim, puncturing her liver and lung and also her colon and renal artery.

“During the attack, Emma went into the street and Karla Biddle went with her,” said Mr Wall.

“Outside there was a struggle and Emma ran to neighbours to get help but she collapsed. She was rushed to hospital but died at 9.07am.”

He said residents in Berkeley Road had seen the latter part of the struggle in the street and reported that both women were in nightclothes.

The court heard that Karla went home, got changed and then CCTV cameras showed her car driving along the Bristol Road before she arrived at work at Colmore Gate in Birmingham where she clocked on shortly before 9.30am.

Mr Wall said Karla set about covering up her tracks, ensuring Mr Watson had received an email in which she had told him she had got to work late because of the heavy traffic.

She told police that after work she spent the afternoon sunbathing in Cannon Hill Park, Edgbaston.

Biddle denied having had anything to do with the incident when arrested by police later that day but then changed her story and said that she had gone to see Miss Bradshaw and there was a struggle.

“She admitted to being there and tried to paint Emma as the aggressor,” said Mr Wall.

The court heard a statement in which Biddle said she had wanted to talk to Miss Bradshaw who went into the kitchen and came out carrying a knife.

She said in the statement: “We were struggling and it was a blur. I had the knife in my hand, then she had it. I grabbed her hand and her arm swung down and it went into her dressing gown. She had the knife in her hand and I just ran.”

Mr Wall said Biddle told police she had dumped her bloody clothes in a bin on the Yardley Wood Road, however when they checked the items could not be found yet a pair of wet pyjamas were discovered at her home.

Biddle denies murder.

The trial continues.