A MAN had been celebrating his wedding anniversary when he stabbed a neighbour to death, a court was told yesterday.

Simon Jenney, 27, and his wife spent the afternoon at a barbecue at his mother's home, but there were altercations with other guests, Teesside Crown Court heard.

When the couple arrived back at their Middlesbrough home in mid- evening, there was a violent outburst in the street involving neighbour Michael Salter, 33, in which Mr Salter allegedly attacked Mr Jenney's half-brother, Jamil Khan, said Aidan Marron, prosecuting.

Mr Marron told the court: "Jenney coldly opened a lock knife, grabbed Mr Salter in a headlock from behind and stabbed him repeatedly in the face, eye and neck - 15 stab wounds with sufficient force to sever all the major blood vessels in the neck and fracture his skull.

"As Mr Salter collapsed to the ground, Jenney inflicted the final indignity by delivering several hefty kicks to the dying man."

Mr Salter died in hospital two days later, said Mr Marron.

The court was told Mr Jenney admitted manslaughter but the Crown sought a conviction for murder.

Mr Jenney, of Meadowview Road, Whinney Banks, Middlesbrough, pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Salter on May 21, last year.

The case continues today.