By staff reporter

Last updated 16:12, Tuesday, 07 October 2008

A MIGRANT worker stabbed a man in the stomach, leaving him in need of two operations, Carlisle Crown Court heard yesterday.

Rebaz Karim, 22, of Salisbury Road, Currock, admitted stabbing 31-year-old Piotr Malas with a kitchen knife on March 21. But he pleaded not guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, claiming the attack was in self defence.

Prosecuting counsel Jeremy Grout-Smith told jurors Karim had grabbed Mr Malas from behind in an unprovoked attack.

The Iraqi Kurd had been visiting his girlfriend in a shared house on Warwick Road, Carlisle.

A neighbour raised the alarm when she heard cries for help, and Malas spent five days in the Cumberland Infirmary. Kalim was arrested while travelling towards Edinburgh on the A75.

He told police he feared for his girlfriend’s safety after a group of men threatened her and grabbed him by the collar. Mr Grout-Smith said Kalim claimed to have waved a screwdriver at them, but later he admitted to having used a knife.

Jurors were shown two kitchen knives found by police at his home, one with traces of blood on the handle. They were also shown photographs of the crime scene, with a large pool of blood at the site of the attack.

Both Karim and Polish-speaking Malas, required translators to give evidence.

Speaking through an interpreter, Mr Malas said: “He grabbed me from behind and put a knife in me. I fell over and I was lying on the ground and shouting for help.”

Malas, who had previously been drinking vodka with friends, admitted he may have been drunk at the time of the attack. Greg Hoare, defending, said Malas and another man had picked a fight with Kalim, who lashed out in self defence.

The trial continues.