Anthony Morley, 36, is on trial at Leeds Crown Court having denied murdering Damian Oldfield, whose naked body was found with multiple stab wounds and pieces of flesh cut from his chest and thigh.

After the attack, Morley, of Bexley Avenue, Leeds, walked into a nearby takeaway, wearing just a dressing gown and flip flops, and told staff he had killed someone because they tried to rape him, the court heard.

Police who searched his house later found six pieces of seasoned, cooked human flesh on a chopping board, while a further piece of flesh, which appeared to have been chewed, was found in a bin bag, the jury was told.

Today, Shaun Wood, who was in a relationship with Morley for around six years, told the court the chef once attacked him after a row about money.

Mr Wood said Morley was giving him dirty looks after he asked him to return money he had borrowed and when he asked him why, he told him to shut up before calling him a "silly poof".

Mr Wood said: "He went to the kitchen and came back and sat down on the settee and five minutes later he leapt up and went for me with a meat cleaver but fortunately he fell backwards so it didn't get me, otherwise it would have done."

The witness said Morley aimed the cleaver at his head.

He added: "I was obviously very scared but immediately afterwards he went upstairs to his bedroom and started smashing the bedroom up, shouting 'I'm psychotic, I'm mad, get me a doctor'."

The witness said he rang for an ambulance but when paramedics arrived Morley got an air rifle. The medics refused to help and called police who took Morley away to the police station.

Under cross-examination, Mr Wood said he had "never, ever" seen Morley behave in that way before and described him as a caring person.

But he said Morley's drinking caused arguments between them and said Morley told him he had been drinking before the incident with the meat cleaver.

Another former boyfriend, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said Morley could be violent and once attacked him in the street.

The court has heard that on April 23 this year, Morley and Mr Oldfield, 33, arranged by text to meet in Leeds and later went back to the defendant's house, where they had sex.

The prosecution claim Morley then launched his attack on Mr Oldfield, cutting his throat and stabbing him numerous times.

He then cut a piece of flesh from Mr Oldfield's thigh, seasoned it with fresh herbs and fried it in olive oil before tasting a piece, the jury was told.

Andrew Stubbs QC, prosecuting, said Morley later told police "this lad" had tried to rape him so he had stopped him.

Robert Smith QC, defending, told the court the defendant was at least guilty of manslaughter but said the issue in the trial would be over provocation or abnormality of the mind.