A HUSBAND who stabbed his cheating wife to death with a kitchen knife before cutting his own throat has been jailed for six years.

A jury at Liverpool Crown Court took approximately four hours to acquit James Bland of murdering his wife of 44 years, Carole, on Friday.

Today, he was sentenced to six years in prison for manslaughter.

In the early hours of August 1, Carole returned to her home in Bury Road, Radcliffe, after a night out, but after a jealous argument, Bland stabbed her to death.

The 62-year-old mother-of-three was found lying dead on the lounge floor by police after her worried lover, whom she had recently met at a rock and roll dance club, raised the alarm later that morning.

She had suffered seven wounds, including stab wounds in her left breast, liver and stomach, and a main blood vessel had been hit.

Officers initially found what they thought to be the body of James Bland after seeing him lying alongside her on the settee, having slashed his throat and wrists in an apparent suicide attempt, with two knives on his chest.

But on closer inspection police realised Bland, also aged 62, was still alive.

While he lay waiting for the ambulance he admitted to police "I've stabbed her and I've tried to kill myself."

He also said she was cheating and that she had "rubbed his face in it".

He added: “She wanted me to carry on living in the house with her while she was doffing her boyfriend.

"She wouldn’t let me sell the house, she didn’t want to move.”

Bland, a retired HGV driver, admitted manslaughter after losing control but denied murder – with the jury accepting his version of events.

In a highly unusual move, the victim's 82-year-old mother, Mary Hindley, gave evidence for Bland, describing her only daughter's behaviour to him as "wicked".

At an earlier hearing, 82-year-old Irish-born widow Mrs Hindley told how Mrs Bland was always buying things for herself.

Bland had already told the court how Mrs Bland would scream at him and nag him for money to buy items.

After her death it was found that she had 200 pairs of unworn shoes in their loft.

Senior Investigating Officer Duncan Thorpe said: “This is a horrific and saddening case in which a marriage of more than 40 years was brought to a shocking and tragic conclusion.

“The slow breakdown of the couple’s marriage obviously had a massive effect on James.

“He made a number of admissions to officers at the scene, in hospital and during interview.

"Our thoughts are with the couple’s children and grandchildren at this time, the grief they must be experiencing is unfathomable.”