A man accused of stabbing his wife to death was seen acting strangely on the day she died, a jury heard.

Dewi Hughes, 38, is accused of murdering Anne Hughes, 55, at their home in Twyford Road, Brighton, in May last year.

Hughes has denied a charge of murder but admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility at a trial at Lewes Crown Court.

He is accused of stabbing Mrs Hughes in the back with a kitchen knife and then trying to stitch up the wound with needle and thread.

He told police she had accidentally slipped on spilt oil on the kitchen floor and stabbed herself on a tin opener.

The prosecution allege Mrs Hughes, described as a simple, timid woman, was bullied by her alcoholic husband in a campaign which led to her death.

The jury heard from neighbours and local shopkeepers how the couple were well-known in the area where they lived in Coldean for their odd behaviour.

They had a reputation for being a nuisance as they would often ask to borrow cash and other items from neighbours.

Police were regularly called to their home because of problems caused by rows and loud music.

Mrs Hughes was seen with black eyes and she was also known for walking along the pavement looking for cigarette butts to collect.

Hughes is believed to have killed her at about 6am on May 22, 2002, when neighbours heard her screaming. He did not contact his GP for help until 18 hours later.

The jury heard during that time he was seen by neighbours acting strangely.

Beryl Moody, who was working in a newsagents and knew the couple as regular customers, said Hughes came into the shop at about lunchtime. She said: "I noticed he was very odd. He acted very strange.

"He kept his head down. He was definitely not his normal self."

Mrs Moody told the court Mrs Hughes was a quiet, timid, gentle person.

Next-door neighbour Sally Newland told the jury Hughes bullied his wife.

She said: "He was very domineering towards Anne. He would shout at her and give her orders.

"There were a number of occasions when she was sent outside for hours.

"I often saw her walking around picking up cigarette butts. I saw her with black eyes."

On the day Mrs Hughes is believed to have died, Mrs Newland saw Hughes, wearing Army camouflage-type clothes, walking up and down his garden path sprinkling salt on the ground.

Mrs Newland told the court she believed Hughes was not normal and suffered from mental health problems.

The trial continues.