A MAN fatally stabbed his wife in the back after becoming “utterly obsessed” with her alleged infidelity, a court heard.

Wilfred Jacob, 43, has been charged with the murder of his wife, Linda Vilika, at their home address in The Street, Great Saling, near Braintree.

Ms Vilika, 41, was found unresponsive in the couple’s living room by police and paramedics on the afternoon of August 19 last year.

Jacob was arrested at the scene and later charged with murder.

At the opening of his trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, it was revealed Ms Vilika had likely been stabbed twice in the back and again in the abdomen with a 20 cm kitchen knife.

Injuries to her neck, hands and face were also discovered.

A 999 called made by Jacob ten minutes after Ms Vilika’s death was played to the court.

In it, the defendant could be heard stating Ms Vilika was lying unresponsive on the floor after he had confronted her about messages she had sent to a man online.

He told the operator he had pushed his wife in self defence after she attacked him with a knife.

However, he went on to say said he could not recount anymore of the incident because he had suffered an epileptic fit called an aura.

Andrew Jackson, prosecuting, said there was no scientific evidence Jacob had suffered an aura and he had not had any epileptic episodes since 2010.

Instead, Mr Jackson alleged Jacob carried out a “powerful” attack after being informed by his wife that she no longer wanted to be with him.

The court was told the couple’s marriage had deteriorated in the months leading up to Ms Vilika’s death and she had called the police to their home on August 11 after becoming fed up with receiving hundreds of Whatsapp messages from her husband accusing of her cheating.

Mr Jackson said: “In the weeks and days leading up to this murder, the defendant had become consumed with jealousy, believing his wife was seeing other men or in contact with other men.

“He bombarded her with unpleasant messages. Linda had felt controlled and we say manipulated and not surprisingly she resolved to leave the defendant. The events of the proceeding days and weeks came rapidly to a head in that short hour.”

Jacob denies murder.

  • The trial continues.