A 69-year-old man who tried to strangle his wife has been jailed for three years.

George Tugwell, who uses a wheelchair, attacked his wife Elizabeth at their home in Brighton.

Mrs Tugwell struggled free and fled to the bathroom, where she locked herself in.

She called her daughter on her mobile phone as her husband tried to force open the door with a screwdriver.

Tugwell, who was suffering depression, admitted attempting to murder his wife to whom he had been married for 48 years.

Lewes Crown Court heard the couple's relationship is now over.

Judge Richard Hayward told Tugwell the sentence imposed was shorter than normal for such a serious offence because of his ill-health.

The judge said: "You have lost everything, your wife, your family and your home. But the court cannot overlook the fact you attempted to murder your wife."

The court heard Tugwell had been suffering from medical problems before the attack which had left him depressed. He began to have delusions that he and his wife were going to be evicted from their council flat in High Street.

He told police he decided to kill his wife to save her from losing her home because he believed she would be better off dead than being thrown out on the street.

Laura McQuitty, prosecuting, said the couple went to bed as normal on April 24 but she was woken in the early hours to find her husband had his hands around her neck.

She pushed him away and he told her: "We are going to be evicted today and we will be on the street with no money. I was going to strangle you because we are going to be evicted."

She did not take his behaviour seriously and went to make a cup of tea.

But later he attacked her again. He put his hands around her neck and this time she had to struggle to get free.

She fled to the lounge where he followed her and as she tried to get help on her mobile phone, he knocked it to the floor and again grabbed her tightly around the neck.

"He brought her to her knees. He knelt beside her with his hands around her neck. He said, 'I am determined to kill you. I am determined to do it'."

Mrs Tugwell, her arms bleeding from friction marks where he had grabbed her, broke free and ran to the bathroom and rang for help.

When all went quiet she left the bathroom and found him in the bedroom. He told her to call the police. He said: "If you don't, I will finish the job. I didn't think you would put up such a struggle."

A statement by Mrs Tugwell was read to the court explaining how she was devastated by the attack and feared her husband would return to try to kill her again if he was released from prison.

Pamela Rose, defending, said Tugwell now accepted his marriage was over and was full of remorse for what he had done.

She said: "He does not ever intend to go home. The many, many years of marriage have come to an end."

She said Tugwell's mental health had now improved and doctors did not believe he was a risk to others.

She said: "Prison is not the answer for this man. No one in the family wants revenge. He is someone who was ill at the time."

After the hearing, Detective Constable Chris Sherwell said Mrs Tugwell was now recovering from her ordeal with the support of friends and family.

He said: "These were unusal circumstances and there were definitely mitigating factors to do with his health and mental state at the time. However, it was obviously very traumatic for her and the effects have been considerable."