A Sussex man has been jailed for six years for stabbing his wife to death with a kitchen knife.

Robert Anscombe, described in court as a "pipe and slippers" man, was convinced his wife Debbie was having an affair.

He stabbed her eight times as she lay in their bed before phoning his mother and stabbing himself twice.

Mrs Anscombe, 40, died but her 46-year-old husband survived after spending 12 days in the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton.

Today at Lewes Crown Court Anscombe, of Cissbury Avenue, Peacehaven, admitted manslaughter due to diminished responsibility.

The court heard he had become convinced his wife, a nurse, had been having an affair with a work colleague.

Dianne Chann, prosecuting, said Anscombe suffered "pathological jealousy syndrome".

She said: "Mr Anscombe became totally obsessed with the idea she was having an affair."

She said on February 27 Anscombe told his boss he had been in an argument at home and accused his wife in front of her parents.

The following night, after his wife went to bed, Anscombe sat up looking at their wedding photos before joining her.

Miss Chann said at 6.30am on March 1 Anscombe got up to make a cup of tea but returned with an 8.25in cook's knife.

Anscombe told police he threatened to kill himself to provoke a reaction from his wife.

But in his interviews he said his wife's eyes were saying: "Go on stick in it yourself" and he lunged at her, the court was told.

Anscombe, married for 16 years, shook as Miss Chann read the extent of his wife's injuries, including eight stab wounds to the neck, torso and right lower leg. She suffered wounds to the liver and spleen.

The court heard Anscombe was an outgoing man until he suffered head injuries in a road crash in 1981.

But after the crash he became withdrawn. His wife was described as more outgoing, particularly since she turned 40 earlier in the year.

Michael Warren, defending, described Anscombe as a placid man.

Both Anscombe and his wife had confided in work colleagues that their marriage had difficulties.

Mrs Anscombe had told her husband she was only staying with him for the sake of their children, aged seven and 12.

Sentencing Anscombe to six years in prison, Judge Richard Brown, said: "In my view you still carry considerable responsibility for your actions in killing your wife.

"No sentence that this court can impose will ever reflect the value of a life that has been taken, restore a loved one to a family or a mother to her children."