A HUSBAND who put his wife through almost two years of hell which ended with a frenzied attack has been jailed.

Stuart Wiseman stabbed his wife with a vegetable knife, strangled her with a dog lead and tried to smother her with a pillow in the brutal assault.

The pair had been married for eight otherwise happy years before Wiseman’s campaign began.

The controlling 44-year-old would only allow his wife to go outside for 30 minutes at a time. monitored her calls and texts and waited outside her workplace.

Family and friends noticed a change in his wife’s behaviour which included a number of bruises and marks which she tried to explain away.

On October 28, Wiseman launched an unprovoked assault on her after she went to lie down because she felt unwell.

He then used three weapons in the attack which left her struggling to breathe and with severe bruising. His wife then confided to a friend about what had happened, who then informed the police.

Wiseman was arrested and admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour at a hearing last month.

On Friday, he was sentenced to 18 months in jail - 15 months for the assault and three months for the coercive behaviour to run consecutively at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Recorder Kenneth Carr said: “You used no less than three different weapons and the injuries suffered were serious.

“This was a sustained assault.

“Your behaviour towards your wife in the months leading up to the assault had a profound affect on her which was noticed by family and friends.

“One said she had noticeably lost her spark.”

Wiseman, of Swan Grove, Chappel, was suffering with mental health issues at the time of the attack and also has chronic epilepsy, learning difficulties and severe arthritis in his legs which means he has to walk with crutches.

Natalie Bird, mitigating, said he had been trying to work on his behaviour after being remanded into custody since he admitted the offences.

She added: “He is utterly remorseful and ashamed of the way he treated his wife.

“He wants to seek help so he never ends up treating anybody like this ever again.

“He still loves her dearly and cannot understand why he would do what he did to his wife and his carer.

“He understands she may never wish to see him again.”

Wiseman was also handed a restraining order against his wife.

Investigating officer Dc Karyn Daniels said: “Wiseman subjected his victim to a terrifying ordeal without provocation over a number of hours.

“She bravely came forward and spoke about the abuse she had suffered over many years.

"Wiseman's abuse forced her to take days off work whilst she recovered from visible injuries, he restricted her time away from the home and bombarded her with phone calls and messages. 

“This behaviour led to the victim losing a significant amount of weight. Madeline’s courage and support has meant an abuser like Wiseman has now been locked in a prison cell.”