The moment a Heathrow Airport worker was repeatedly stabbed by his neighbour in a row over a parking space was described to court today.

Lee Francis, 38, is accused of trying to stab Darpo Clarke when the pair allegedly argued outside their homes, in Lincoln Road, New Malden, over Mr Francis uses of his neighbour’s driveway while he was on holiday on April 18 last year.

A police interview with Mr Clarke, filmed at St George’s Hospital three months after the incident, was shown during a trial at Kingston Crown Court yesterday.

From yesterday: Man 'tried to stab neighbour to death' after row over parking space in New Malden

In it, Mr Clarke described the attack to officers, but was forced to deny that he was “playing down” the pair’s friendship when cross-examined. 

Mr Francis has admitted causing GBH but denied trying to kill Mr Clarke.

During the interview played to the jury, Mr Clarke said: “He’s not someone I would want to go and start a fight with or something – he’s quite a big guy.

“The reason I went there was just to ask him to take the car out. He just came out, rushing out throwing punches and grabbed me by the neck - that’s all I can remember.

“I can remember him going for my neck just holding me by the neck trying to punch me. It all went off, first I tried to push him off me - that is what I tried to do.”

The argument was said to have started when Mr Clarke returned home from a holiday to find his neighbour’s car parked in his driveway.

The two neighbours fought outside Mr Francis’ home before he went inside to get a knife and stabbed Mr Clarke “repeatedly” through the window of his black Mercedes.

Mr Clarke added: “His missus and my missus, they broke us up. I just went back to the car as I didn’t want any trouble.

“I just lifted my head and I saw Lee Francis with a knife and he just started poking me.”

“I kind of squeezed myself back to get to the backseat, but by that time it was too late. I just saw blood and felt pain in my stomach and my arm.

Defending lawyer Kerim Faud accused Mr Clarke, who appeared behind a curtain, of playing down his relationship with his neighbour, saying that they were in fact friends and Mr Clarke started the fight.

He claimed Mr Clarke approached Mr Francis and shouted “you think that you’re such a f*****g big man” before punching him in the face.

He also said the two shared beers on two or three occasions and that Mr Francis attended Mr Clarke’s partner’s birthday.

Mr Clarke said: “I wouldn’t say friends, just neighbours saying hello. I’ve probably been round there once or twice.

“I couldn’t have been more polite. I didn’t punch him, I tried to defend myself when he hit me.”