A FORMER Suffolk pub landlady was stabbed to death with a bayonet by her husband because he thought she was having an affair with a local thatcher, it has been alleged.

A FORMER Suffolk pub landlady was stabbed to death with a bayonet by her husband because he thought she was having an affair with a local thatcher, it has been alleged.

Jealous Paul Green, who lived at the former Old Bell pub at Marlesford with his wife Sharon, allegedly stabbed her five times in the chest with the bayonet which was part of a collection of Second World War memorabilia he kept in a 'museum' at the pub, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

Green, 59, had then driven off in the couple's Ford Escort estate car and was arrested by police as he walked along the A12 after trying to commit suicide by driving into a tree.

Yesterday, Edward Green, 29, one of the couple's three grown-up children, described how he desperately tried to save his 53-year-old mother's life after discovering her body on his parents' bedroom floor.

He had driven to Marlesford from Cambridge after noticing he had two missed calls from his mother's mobile phone at around 5am on November 20 last year.

When he rang his mother's mobile phone it was answered by his father, who told him his mother had been having an affair with a thatcher, before adding 'You better come home. I'm sorry.'

When Edward arrived at his parent's house there was blood on his parents' bed and the mattress and his mother's body was in the gap between the bed and the wall, lying on her side with an arm over her head and dressed in just a short-sleeved pyjama top.

He had contacted the emergency services. He described how he tried to give his mother the kiss of life but was unsuccessful because of the extent of her injuries.

Paramedics arrived just after 7am and tried to resuscitate Mrs Green but she was already dead.

Green, of Main Road, Marlesford, has denied murdering Sharon Green between November 19 and 20 last year.

Gerard Pounder, prosecuting, told the court that Green and his wife met when she was in her late teens and after they married they had three children, Louise, Edward and Tommy.

Ten years ago they moved from Edmonton to the Old Bell pub at Marlesford and Sharon Green had been the landlady and son Edward had been the landlord.

Unfortunately the business was not as successful as they had hoped and four years later the pub closed and the premises were converted into a private residence. Towards the end of 2008 it was discovered the thatched roof needed to be repaired and local thatcher Steven Pye was hired to carry out the work the following spring.

Mr Pye, who was single and in his 60s, became friendly with Mrs Green and formed the opinion that she was lonely.

He arranged for her to do some work in his garden and to tidy his works' yard and they began exchanging late-night text messages and e-mails.

As the relationship developed Mr Pye told Mrs Green that he had strong feelings for her and she had told her husband who had laughed it off and she had also told Edward that Mr Pye was in love with her, said Mr Pounder.

Ten days before her death Mrs Green told Mr Pye she had had a row with her husband about her friendship with him. A week later she texted Mr Pye to say she feared what her husband would do to her if she left him.

Shortly afterwards she had contacted Mr Pye to end their relationship and Mr Pye had no more contact with her after November 17. On November 18 Green had contacted one of Mr Pye's work colleagues and asked him to tell Mr Pye not to contact his wife again as he was upsetting her.

He alleged that Green had killed his wife during the night of November 19-20 by stabbing her five times in the chest with a bayonet with a 25cm blade. One of the wounds was 23cm deep, two had penetrated her heart and another had cut her aorta.

Mrs Green, who had defence injuries on her hands and arms, was also found to have nine broken ribs. A pathologist considered 'severe' force would have been required to cause the injuries.

After Green was found wandering on the A12 shortly after the discovery of his wife's body he told police he had tried to kill himself by driving into a tree.

He was taken to hospital and told one police officer: 'I'm 100% guilty.' He told another: 'I know what I've done. She was having an affair and I've had enough.'

The trial, which is expected to finish next week, continues today.