A CONTRACT cleaner from Cornwall had threatened to stab himself in front of his girlfriend during a bitter argument before he died from a knife wound, an inquest was told.

Trevelyan John Dee, 21, from Treneer, Penzance, was visiting his girlfriend's flat in the town on September 27, 2008, when he was stabbed in the chest with a kitchen knife, penetrating a pulmonary artery and causing substantial internal bleeding.

Mr Dee's girlfriend, Louise Powell, said her boyfriend killed himself in front of her after an argument in her flat. She said they had had an argument and had split up, then he threatened to stab himself.

In a police interview, Miss Powell said she had told Mr Dee to "go on" and kill himself, but then cried for help as her wounded boyfriend stumbled from the flat into the hallway before collapsing.

He was confirmed dead at West Cornwall Hospital in Penzance at 4.20pm that day.

At the inquest in Truro yesterday, Cornwall Coroner Dr Emma Carlyon recorded an open verdict.

The court was told how Mr Dee and his girlfriend, 16-year-old Miss Powell, had been together for around 16 months when Mr Dee died.

Members of both families, and Miss Powell herself, talked about violence in the relationship. There were also allegations that Mr Dee and Miss Powell had both talked about killing themselves.

The court was told that on the day of Mr Dee's death, the couple had had a series of arguments. Miss Powell returned to her flat which she shared with her mother, with her boyfriend following later, asking to be let in.

Later, in the flat, Miss Powell said her boyfriend had allegedly tried to strangle her, so she told him she wanted to split up.

This, she said, drove him to find a kitchen knife and place it in her hand. He asked her to kill him, she said.

Miss Powell said her refusal to do so caused Mr Dee to threaten to kill himself, to which she admitted replying: "Go on" or "Just do it".

Miss Powell said Mr Dee then pushed the blade into his chest before stumbling out of the flat and collapsing, while she was heard by witnesses "screaming hysterically" for help.

Pathologist Dr Deborah Cook said there was an 11cm (just over 4in) wound through Mr Dee's chest. There were no "tentative wounds", which she said were sometimes visible on those who committed suicide.

Recording an open verdict, Dr Carlyon said: "It is not clear what Mr Dee's intentions were, but a cry for help or involvement of another cannot be ruled out."