A TRINANT man said the fatal stab wound he inflicted on his friend “didn’t seem that serious”, a court heard yesterday.

Paul Mapps, now 27, of Marshfield Road, denies murdering Ian Davies, 27, on January 11 this year.

The jury at Cardiff Crown Court heard Mapps say he did not realise he had “caught” Mr Davies with the knife he was holding while cutting a pie in his kitchen.

During cross-examination, Mapps said he knew that Mr Davies’ injuries were “serious, but not as serious as what it is”.

He told the jury: “It didn’t seem that serious, it didn’t look that bad. It was a 3cm cut... I didn’t realise it caught him.”

Mapps previously told the court Mr Davies had come into his house, uninvited, using a vodka bottle as a weapon before he stabbed him.

Prosecution barrister Paul Lewis QC questioned whether Mapps was actually scared of Mr Davies.

Mr Lewis said: “You have always been frightened of Ian Davies since you realised what he was capable of, despite the fact you are a black belt in karate, you are no match for him?”

Mapps replied: “He’s a lot more violent than me.”

Mr Lewis also asked Mapps about an anger management course he had attended.

Mapps told the court he had learnt to control his “internal triggers” but could not control “external triggers”. He said: “I literally turned around. I had no control over the situation so how can I lose control?”

Mapps was also questioned on evidence given by residents and friends, including evidence by Marshfield Road resident Jody Meek who said Mapps and Mr Davies had been arguing throughout January 11 in the street.

Mr Lewis said Mapps was “wholly devious” for inventing the fact that Mr Davies was Ms Meek’s drug dealer. He said: “You will grasp at any straw you can to try and attack the character of people you think cause you a problem and that’s exactly what you did half way through Jodie’s evidence.”

“You stabbed him because you’re a violent aggressive man who lost his temper,” Mr Lewis added, which Mapps denied.

Mapps had previously said he had been celebrating his sister Dawn Mapps’ 30th birthday on both January 10, and January 11, and was on a cocktail of ketamine, valium, cocaine, mephedrone and alcohol when he stabbed Mr Davies.

Proceeding