A spurned husband was dressed in his wedding suit when he brutally stabbed his wife's lover, a court heard.

Paul England kicked in the front door of the flat where he knew his estranged wife, Julia, was staying with Marten Moore in Horsham, while the couple were in bed.

Mrs England, 25, fled naked to get help as her husband stabbed Mr Moore with a dagger.

As Mr Moore lay bleeding from potentially fatal wounds to his chest and abdomen, England slashed his own wrist with the commando-style weapon.

England, 37, of Bedford Road, Horsham, has denied attempting to murder Mr Moore at his flat in Bishopric Court on January 24 this year.

He has also denied wounding with intent to cause Mr Moore grievous bodily harm and aggravated burglary with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm on Mrs England.

Jurors at Lewes Crown Court heard Mrs England left her husband six days before the attack, following a troubled four-year marriage.

He tried to track her down and sent her emails and text messages which were abusive and threatening. He also warned he would kill himself and needed hospital treatment after he took an overdose of drugs.

The prosecution allege England intended to kill his wife in the knife attack.

The court heard unemployed England went to Mr Moore's top-floor flat at about 8.30am and forced the door open.

Mr Moore, 35, a bank worker, told the court: "There was an almighty bang. I jumped out of bed with my boxer shorts on. I saw Paul standing in the doorway dressed in a smart suit.

"I was scared. I retreated around the bed. He said, 'Out of my way, it is not you I want.' I just stood there like a rabbit fixed in the headlights."

Mr Moore told how he was stabbed in the abdomen and chest and suffered other injuries in a scuffle as he tried to stop England stabbing him again.

He said: "I was shocked. Then I saw this dark blood gush out and pour on to the floor. At sometime I fell to my knees with the knife in me. Julia screamed the place down and ran out naked to get help.

"He stood over me with the knife and he said, 'You are a silly little boy. She is not worth it'."

As he lay bleeding, he could hear the sounds of the sirens from the emergency vehicles and heard England saying: "If I cannot have her, nobody can."

The court heard when police later searched England's home, they found his wife's clothes had been cut up, her teddy bear ripped apart and a photograph taken on her graduation day was smashed.

The trial continues.