A father of three was jailed for six years today for stabbing his wife to death after she left him for her internet lover.

William Commins, 38, stabbed Lorraine, 36, four times with a bread knife at their home in Wiston Avenue, Worthing, in November last year.

Her lover Robert Leigh, from Wiltshire, whom she met through an internet chat room the previous July, was waiting outside her house in his car while she went inside to collect her belongings two days after leaving her husband.

Commins, who worked at Tesco, told police at the time of the killing: "I loved her so much and I am so sorry."

The couple's eldest son Darryl, 15, told officers his father was jealous of her relationship with Mr Leigh and had bought his mother flowers and chocolates.

He also smashed the computer on which she contacted her lover.

Commins admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility at an earlier Lewes Crown Court hearing, and sentence was adjourned for psychiatric reports.

Richard Ferguson, defending, said the family had been devastated by the events and at the time Commins was not mentally responsible for his actions.

Mr Ferguson referred to psychiatric reports which stated Commins, who had no previous convictions, had suffered an acute stress reaction which was out of character.

He also had no memory of what had happened.

He said Commins was suffering tremendous remorse. He said: "Up until the intervention of the other party this was a happy marriage.

"This was a dedicated and devoted husband who worked as hard as any man. He did everything in his power to make the marriage a happy one.

"He had a new kitchen fitted and bought her a dog. As far as he was concerned it was not a case where his marriage was at an end.

"He thought things were on the mend and his wife would return to him."

Mr Ferguson said the most tragic aspect of the case was the three boys, aged 15, 12 and 11.

Commins wept as a tribute was read out from his eldest son Darryl, who had written a character reference for the court in which he described his father as hard-working and generous.

The couple's three sons are now living with Lorraine Commins' parents in Portsmouth.