A frail husband who admitted killing his bedridden wife has died.

Dennis Halford, 79, of Ham Road, Worthing, died in hospital on Monday following a brief illness.

Observers noted he appeared confused and was unsteady on his feet when he was told he would be spared jail at Lewes Crown Court last Friday.

The father-of-three had been accused of murder after his wife, Natalie, 76, was found dead in their home last April.

She had been injected with insulin and smothered with a plastic bag.

A post mortem showed she died of suffocation.

Mr Halford denied murder but accepted the lesser charge of manslaughter last week.

Judge Richard Brown told Mr Halford he would not be given a custodial sentence but told him to return for sentencing on December 5.

He was released on bail on the condition he remained at a psychiatric unit.

Mr Halford, who was a retired shopkeeper, had been allowed to remain seated during the hearing due to his infirmity. He needed help from a jailer and the court usher when he left the dock.

The Halfords were married for 57 years and their family was in the court to support Mr Halford.

Jeremy Gold QC, defending, told the court: "We have always maintained there is an element of a suicide pact about the case."

Alan Kent, prosecuting, told the court the plea of manslaughter was accepted on the basis of diminished responsibility.

A Sussex policewoman confirmed yesterday Mr Halford had died.

She said: "Dennis Halford, who pleaded guilty at Lewes Crown Court last week to the manslaughter of his wife, died in hospital on Monday after a short illness.

"There are no suspicious circumstances."

Neighbours were not available to speak to yesterday and shopkeepers along Ham Road said Mr Halford had kept himself to himself.

Drinkers at The Smugglers' Return, in nearby Brougham Road, echoed the sentiment but they expressed their sorrow after hearing of his death.