A father of three who fantasised about killing his wife because he was obsessed she was having an affair, stabbed her to death with a carving knife, a court heard yesterday.

Owen Stephenson (47) of Fareham Avenue, Rugby, stabbed his wife Fiona 50 times as she lay in bed, Stafford Crown Court was told.

Prosecuting, Christopher Millington QC said Stephenson wanted to scare and hurt his wife and was suffering an abnormality of mind and pathological jealousy at the time of the attack on January 3 this year.

He said: "He admitted from the outset that he killed her and very much regretted it. He claimed she said to him that 2005 would be a fresh start without him. He said she told him she had not loved him for the past five years."

Mr Millington said Stephenson's wife expressed concern about his frightening behaviour and he was examined by a psychiatrist who decided there were delusions about his wife and aggressive feelings towards another man.

"He had fantasies about killing his wife. One time he menaced her while she was in bed and she fled from the house in her nightclothes and went to her sister," he said.

Mr Millington said Stephenson repeatedly told his wife he loved her and wanted her back. Stephenson has pleaded not guilty to the murder.

The case continues.