A forensics expert described finding blood splattered across the bathroom of a man who claims his wife tried to kill him while he was tied up ready for bondage sex.

Dena Thompson, 40, denies attempting to murder her husband Richard, 42, with a baseball bat and carving knife at their bungalow in Rustington, near Littlehampton, on January 2.

Forensic scientist Adrian Emes said he found traces of Mr Thompson's blood on the door, radiator, tiles, floor, wall and bath in the bathroom of the house and on the carpet of the bedroom. Someone had attempted to clean up the stains.

Blood from Mr Thompson was also discovered smeared across a black leather belt and on a baseball bat and knife, Lewes Crown Court heard yesterday.

Christine Sheppard, staff nurse at the accident and emergency department in Worthing Hospital, who treated Mr Thompson on the day of the alleged attack, said he had cuts on his forehead and shoulder.

She said: "He said: 'I have been hit on the head with a baseball bat and she has also come at me with a knife.' He said he had been hit on the head with a baseball bat by his 'soon to be ex-wife.'"

PC Darren Saunders was called to Willow Cottage in Rustington to talk to Mr Thompson two days after the alleged attack.

He said: "He had facial injuries and a few stitches to his head. He was visibly shaken and very nervous. We were shown a baseball bat and a carving knife he alleged had been used."

Mr Thompson told the police he had asked his diabetic wife what she would have done if she had succeeded in killing him. She said she would have taken an overdose.

She is alleged to have attacked her husband while he lay tied up with masking tape because she was worried he would discover she had squandered thousands of pounds of his money behind his back.

The trial continues.