A father of two tried to hire a hitman to murder his ex-wife, a court has been told.

Tariq Darwish, 41, allegedly offered a £100,000 bounty of gold on the eve of a court hearing about the future of his young son and daughter.

But the 'hitman' was actually an undercover officer. The police had been tipped off about the plan, Lewes Crown Court heard.

Darwish, of Herbert Road, Sompting, had originally asked nightclub doorman Mahmoud Zahiri to kill his ex-wife Wafaa, it was claimed.

But Mr Zahiri - also known as Tom - approached police when "matters started to look serious".

Darwish and his wife moved to Worthing after an arranged marriage in Kuwait in 1993.

They divorced in July 1999 and Wafaa won temporary custody of their son, now five, and their six-year-old daughter.

The defendant allegedly approached Mr Zahiri in October 1999 and asked him to kill Mrs Darwish, of Haynes Road, Worthing.

Timothy Langdale QC, prosecuting, said: "He spoke to Mr Zahiri, asking if he could kill his ex-wife. He wanted him to make it look like a theft or burglary that had gone wrong.

"Mr Zahiri didn't think he was serious and went along with it. However, in the end matters did start to look serious because Mr Darwish brought him a sum of money in payment for killing her - £10,000 in cash.

"Mr Zahiri got worried because it did now seem like a serious proposal.

"A few days later, he returned the money saying something along the lines of it being a crazy idea. Darwish didn't give up and said he might find someone in London to do it.

"Eventually, Mr Zahiri spoke to someone and the matter was referred to police."

Mr Zahiri then allegedly began to act as a police informant and introduced Darwish to an undercover officer known only as Mark.

Darwish first met Mark in a car park in Pease Pottage, the court heard, and another meeting took place at Lancing railway station. Both meetings were recorded, as were telephone calls.

Mr Langdale said Darwish wanted the killing to take place on November 30, and told Mark he could help himself to gold which was in her house. He said it was worth about £100,000.

He added: "On November 28, there was a telephone call between Mark and the defendant.

"Darwish was saying that the killing of his ex-wife would have to be done before December 1.

"It is alleged that was the date in Darwish's mind because he was concerned that a court hearing was due and he might lose access to the children."

Mr Langdale said that after the initial meeting Darwish expressed concern that Mark was a police officer and was reassured otherwise by Mr Zahiri and Mark.

He said: "It may be that the defence will claim that the defendant thought that Mark was a police officer and was just playing along.

"Quite why he would do such a thing if he didn't want his wife dead is questionable."

He said Mark had arranged to meet Darwish at London Victoria rail station after the killing and present him with proof that she was dead.

But Darwish was arrested in Worthing later that day after he failed to show up.

Darwish denies soliciting the murder of his ex-wife between November 24 and 30, 1999. The trial continues.