A husband accused of trying to kill his wife in a hit-and-run is not going to give evidence at his trial.

Civil servant Martin Hewlett, 45, denies attempted murder.

He is accused of being behind the wheel of a stolen transit van that mowed down his wife, Anne Dreisler, as she cycled to their home in Worthing in February last year.

Ms Dreisler, 36, a mother-of-two who worked as a nurse at Worthing Hospital, suffered life-threatening injuries in the collision in Canterbury Road and is now confined to a wheelchair.

During the two-week trial at Hove Crown Court the jury has been told the couple, who lived in Guildford Road, were divorcing after Ms Dreisler discovered her husband had secretly remortgaged their home and run up gambling debts of more than £100,000.

Today the court was told Hewlett would not be giving evidence from the witness box.

Earlier the jury was told he had denied being the driver of the van when he was arrested by police.

The jury is due to retire tomorrow to begin considering its verdict.

Ms Dreisler, who is Danish, has been in court each day of the trial.

Since the collision she has moved to Denmark with her children to be close to her family.

The trial continues.