A WOMAN told a murder trial jury yesterday that she hated the brother who stabbed her husband to death at a family party.

Mother-of-three Tracey Portis was questioned about three statements she made to police after her brother Carl, 36, was arrested over the death of Christopher Durr, 37.

She denied she was lying about the facts so that she would not lose her claim for Criminal Injuries Compensation for his death.

She told Teesside Crown Court that her brother Carl, a crippled Bosnia war veteran, started the incident at his home.

She said he raged at her after children left dirty footmarks at his home at Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough.

She claimed he pushed her over, prompting Mr Durr to chide him: "You can hit your own wife but you're not hitting mine."

There was a scuffle between the men, and Portis wrestled him to the floor. Other guests moved in and she thought the incident was over. Then, she heard a gasp from her husband.

She said she saw Portis take two deliberate steps towards Durr before raising an arm above his head and plunging what she later knew was a knife into him.

Durr, who had been given a new life on Teesside under the witness protection scheme after he was shot in the back in Liverpool, died from a 6in-deep stab wound through the heart. He had three other knife wounds in the head and neck.

Miss Portis admitted making a statement that her brother might claim post-traumatic stress was the reason for the killing.

But she said despite been injured by a land mine explosion, he was fit enough to be a cigarette and alcohol smuggler, making thousands of pounds.

Portis, of Shandon Park, Coulby Newham, denies the murder of Mr Durr, of The Garth, Coulby Newham.

The trial continues