THE jury in the trial of a man accused of murder has been sent out to begin its deliberations.

Alberto Fioletti, 31, is charged with killing his ex-partner Stephanie Hodgkinson, 34, after she was found with stab wounds. 

The defendant has been standing trial at Bournemouth Crown Court since November 15.

He has admitted a charge of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility but denies murder.

Stephanie was found fatally wounded in her Bournemouth home on Friday, May 12.

A post-mortem determined her cause of death was a series of seven stab wounds to her chest which severely injured her heart and lungs.

Fioletti told a 999 operator that he had ‘killed his girlfriend’ before attempting to 'kill himself'. 

Bournemouth Echo: Stephanie Hodgkinson Stephanie Hodgkinson (Image: Dorset Police)

In a police interview following his arrest, Fioletti told DC Kim Blackmore he was “completely out of control” and didn’t remember stabbing Stephanie.

He reported his last memories were becoming “overwhelmed with emotion” and punching his girlfriend to the floor.

He said he only realised she had been fatally injured after seeing her “lying on the floor” and “bleeding”.

Fioletti’s defence argues that his mental health issues - specifically his emotionally unstable personality disorder - substantially impaired his ability to understand the nature of his conduct, form a rational judgement or exercise self-control.

They conclude it played a significant contributory factor when he stabbed Stephanie to death.

Prosecutors do not accept that Fioletti’s mental health issues played a significant contributory factor in Stephanie’s death.

Instead, they argue that the defendant stabbed Stephanie because she had ‘the courage’ to end their relationship of seven months.

According to prosecutor Steven Perian, Fioletti wanted to give the relationship another go and “couldn’t handle the rejection”. 

The jury was sent out to begin deliberations on Monday, December 4 at 11.36am.