A man accused of stabbing a former prostitute 43 times, had a cut on his forehead which was probably caused by a knife, a Court heard.

Forensic pathologist, Professor Christopher Mallory, said his first opinion when he was shown a photograph of the partially-healed wound on the head of Noel John Dooley, was that it was "not one caused by a blow to the head."

Security guard Dooley, 42, denies attempting to murder Nichola Jane Hirst in Bradford's red light area in October last year.

Professor Mallory told the jury sitting at Leeds Crown Court yesterday that he was shown pictures of Miss Hirst's body with 43 stab wounds.

He said the injuries to her arms and legs were, in his opinion, caused by the 27-year-old fighting off an attack with a knife.

Earlier the court was told by Miss Hirst how she kicked out at her attacker as he repeatedly stabbed her, catching the knife with her boot, and causing it to strike his head.

Paul Worsley QC, defending, said Dooley had woken up in his caravan in the Ashley Mills area of Bradford, with blood all over his pillow.

He said the night before Dooley had gone to the Rio Campus nightclub when the alleged attack happened and believed his drink had been spiked and there had been a fight at the nightclub which had resulted in his injuries.

His friend David Tighe has already told the court that Dooley said he thought he had been coshed with a stick which had caused the injury.

Mr Tighe said Dooley asked him if he would take his pillow which had blood on it and understood he wanted him to wash it.

Miss Hirst, who broke down several times in the dock, earlier told the jury how Dooley had approached her in the early hours of the morning at the junction of Listerhills Road and Richmond Road, in Bradford, and offered to pay her £20 for a sex act.

The sobbing victim described how her attacker returned, not once, but twice, and tried to kill her as she pleaded with him to stop, stabbing her 43 times in the process.

The trial continues.