Vincent MacNameeATTEMPTED murder victim Vincent MacNamee was bombarded by text messages and phonecalls in the days leading up to his stabbing, Bristol Crown Court heard yesterday.

In the third day of the trial Karen Wooldridge, the former partner and close friend of Mr MacNamee also known as Vinny told the court that they had received several calls from one of the suspects, Tony Salvatori, known as Gilly.

Mr Salvatori allegedly rang the pair several times threatening Mr MacNamee's life.

Miss Wooldridge said: "It the phonecalls was non-stop, it was Gilly.

"He was ranting and making threats, I didn't have a conversation with him.

"He said he was going to kill Vinny and that he would do life for him."

In the days before the incident, Miss Wooldridge had paid for Mr MacNamee to stay in the Marriott Hotel where she visited him several times.

Nicolas Gerasimidis, defence for Salvatori asked how Mr MacNamee sounded after receiving the calls. Miss Wooldridge replied: "He was upset and really worried, he didn't sound right, not himself. He was not okay."

The pair had known each other for 11 years and were in a relationship. They split up around four years ago but remained close, but she insisted she knew little about Mr MacNamee's alleged drug-taking or those he kept company with.

Earlier in the hearing Mr MacNamee apologised to the court after he walked out of the second day of the hearing last Friday after one of the defence barristers accused Mr MacNamee and Miss Wooldridge of being involved in drug dealing.

Prosecutor Fiona Elder asked Mr MacNamee about the calls, to which he replied: "I didn't expect them to be so bad-minded, I expected him to trust me more, and I just ignored the calls at the time.

The prosecution claims that Mr MacNamee, formerly of Swindon, was asleep on the sofa of a friends house when a gang burst into the home and started attacking him following a row over a woman.

It is alleged that Mr MacNamee was stabbed three times, and had a bottle smashed over his head and rammed into his face.

Mr Salvatori, 40, of County Road and Gary Peapell, 26, of Beechcroft Road are charged with attempted murder and wounding with intent along with Douglas Thompson, 42, of Victoria Road and Anthony Walsh, 26, of Primrose Hill in Haydon Wick.

Amanda Bailey, 38, from Bracknell and Paul Moss, 38 of Cottingham Close, Freshbrook are charged with assisting an offender.

All six have pleaded not guilty to all charges. The case continues.

Anthony Osborne