A civil servant has been jailed for life for trying to kill his wife by mowing her down in a hit-and-run crash to avoid losing everything in their divorce.

Martin Hewlett, 45, knocked his estranged wife Anne Dreisler, 36, off her bicycle and then driven back over her as she rode home in Worthing on February 29 last year.

During a trial at Hove Crown Court, jurors have heard how Hewlett, who worked as a civil servant at the Department for Work and Pensions, had a “severe gambling addiction” which led him into “greater and greater debt”.

He had hidden this from Ms Dreisler, his wife of 14 years, and unbeknown to her, he obtained a £30,000 loan secured against their home, increased their mortgage and then changed providers using her forged signature in order to pay off gambling debts.

He also took out a life insurance policy without her knowledge, enabling either of them to receive a lump sum in the event of the other's death, which in February 2008 stood at £125,625.

He was forced to come clean about his financial deceit in March 2007 when Ms Dreisler attempted to contact their old mortgage firm about a possible extension to their home.

Soon afterwards she started divorce proceedings.

Ms Dreisler, who worked as a theatre nurse at Worthing Hospital, told jurors she felt certain the van headed for her purposely, before it drove over her prone body a second time as she cycled home at about 10.30pm.

Hewlett declined to take to the stand to give his own evidence in the trial.

Hewlett, of Guildford Road, Worthing, denied attempted murder.