A 30-year-old recluse stabbed his step-father seven times then jokingly offered to buy him a pint, a Court heard.

Former Tesco manager Mark Berry was knifed to death on his settee after a row about a pizza, it was alleged yesterday.

Darren Gregson denies murdering him at their home in Spring Bank Drive, Norristhorpe, near Heckmondwike, on June 3.

The jury at Leeds Crown Court heard that both men were three times over the legal drink-drive limit at the time of the attack.

Prosecutor Andrew Campbell QC said Mr Berry, 49, suffered nine chest wounds caused by seven blows with a large kitchen knife.

"Severe force would clearly have been used to inflict those injuries," he said.

Mr Campbell said Gregson's fingerprints were on a knife that was hidden behind a radiator after the stabbing.

The jury heard that the issue was whether Gregson intended to kill the man he called "dad" or cause him really serious injury.

"When he was drunk the deceased may have been an unpleasant individual but that doesn't make it manslaughter. It was a drunken attack on a defenceless man," Mr Campbell said.

The court heard that Gregson's mother, Gillian, married Mr Berry in 1998 after they met while working at Tesco. Their relationship was stormy and Mr Berry was twice prosecuted for assaulting his wife.

The court heard that Mr Berry's relationship with his stepson, Darren, was poor. Gregson suffered from epilepsy and depression and hid in his bedroom drinking heavily.

Shortly before 8pm on June 3 Gregson's sister, Vicky, came round to the house after her brother said he had rowed with Mr Berry and stabbed him.

Mr Berry was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

Ambulance man David Oates told the police that Gregson smelled of alcohol. He said he was light-hearted and joking and said to the dead man: "Wake up, I'll buy you a pint."

Gregson told the police trouble flared between the men after he had taken out a knife to open a wrapped pizza. He said he might have lost his temper but couldn't remember.

The case continues.