A WOMAN accused of fatally stabbing her boyfriend in a drunken rage broke down screaming and crying when she learned of his death, a jury heard.

Natasha Elderfield allegedly told a police doctor: “I can’t believe he’s gone – this is a bad dream” after she was told Robert Dobinson had died.

The 41-year-old mother-of-two denies murdering her partner on the boat where she lived in Abingdon on October 19 last year.

The prosecution claims Mr Dobinson walked in on Elderfield and her lover Tony Steggles during the evening, leading to a heated argument.

Charles Ward-Jackson, prosecuting, said she had been drinking heavily and stabbed him with a kitchen knife, either intending to kill or cause a serious injury.

Yesterday the officers who arrested Elderfield at about 8.10pm and drove her to Abingdon Police Station gave evidence in Oxford Crown Court.

Pc Matt Morgans said after she was told she was suspected of attempting to murder Dobinson, the defendant said: “Apparently I stabbed him.”

She also told the officers her partner had attacked her and added: “I have been smacked on the head with a fire extinguisher.”

Pc Helen Carrick was responsible for watching Elderfield after she had been put in a cell because of fears she might self harm.

The officer said Elderfield told her: “I’m supposed to have stabbed him. If I had a knife in my hand doing dinner, self defence?”

Defence barrister Andrew Hall QC asked Pc Carrick to confirm that when Elderfield was rearrested for murder at 1.04am she said: “What?

You’re joking. No way.”

Mr Hall added: “Then she started screaming, crying and wailing.

“That is when she realised for the first time that Robert Dobinson was dead?”

The officer agreed and added: “Her demeanour changed massively.”

Mr Ward-Jackson said Elderfield later said to a doctor: “I can’t believe he’s gone.

This is all a bad dream.”

And he also read a prepared statement in which she told police: “I never had any intention to hurt Robert, if that is how his injury was caused.”