A DRUNK husband told a 999 operator: “I’m sorry to bother you, but I’ve just killed my wife,” a court has heard.

Russell Worthington, 61, denied wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm at Salisbury Crown Court on Tuesday.

His wife of 33 years, Gail Worthington, was found with a knife wound to the abdomen at their home in Beverley Hills Park in Amesbury on August 11.

Prosecuting, Tom Wilkins said the pair had gone to Aldi in Amesbury and bought a chicken for dinner as well as a bottle of vodka.

Mr Worthington rang 999 at 8pm saying he had stabbed his wife. Police found Mrs Worthington on the sofa “minimally conscious, with part of her bowel protruding” while her husband was naked and sobbing.

An eight-inch knife covered in blood and an empty vodka bottle were in the kitchen.

Mr Worthington told officers he did not know why he had stabbed his wife, but “chillingly” he had known where her liver was from reading medical dictionaries, it was said.

The next day he told police he had no memory of making those statements.

A diabetic, he had not drunk for 18 months but his wife “undoubtedly” had a drink problem, the court heard.

He denied intending to harm his wife and said he had been acting in self-defence after she had attacked him during an argument about the chicken he was preparing.

Mrs Worthington’s intestine was cut in three places and, being “very close to death”, she was airlifted to Southampton General Hospital where she remained in intensive care for five weeks.

She has no memory of the incident, the court heard.

Their marriage had “gone downhill” but her husband had never been violent, she said.

Mrs Worthington said: “[Drinking] turns me into a monster. I can never remember anything, but this is what he tells me.

“I completely change and get nasty – I swear at him, curse him and go off in another world. It’s not very nice for him.

“I think something like that must have happened that Thursday to make him do that.”

Defending, Jodie Mittell said Mrs Worthington had criticised her husband’s cooking and said the chicken was too dry, before hitting him over the head while he was holding the knife.

“He didn’t stab you,” said Ms Mittell. “You, in your drunken state, staggered onto [the knife].” Mrs Worthington replied: “It could have happened like that.”

The court heard that Mr Worthington told police officers and paramedics at the scene: “Please save my wife, I stabbed her in the stomach. It’s been coming for years, she drove me to it.

“I would much prefer it if you had brought a police dog that would have bitten me to death.” The trial continues.

I just snapped... She’s hated my guts for the last 30 years

THE court also heard a recording of Mr Worthington sobbing throughout his 999 call. He said: “I’m sorry to bother you, but I’ve just killed my wife.

“She’s awake, but she’s trying to die, I’ve stabbed her with a carving knife.

“She’s really f****d me up. I just snapped. The knife is in the kitchen. I’m not violent, when the police get here I’m going to help them, I’m not going to be violent. I won’t hurt her any further, and I’m not going to hurt anyone who turns up here, I’ve just reached the end of my tether.

“She’s hated my guts for the last 30 years, but I’ve lived with it. It goes on and on and on.

“I took her in because she needed looking after, and all she’s done is give me s**t ever since. I’m so sorry, I’m not a bad person, I just can’t take it. I’m a nice bloke.

“She’s pissed as a cricket, that’s why I have done it. I didn’t want to hurt her, I just wanted her to stop. I just want her to go to sleep and not wake up again.

“If I’d have been sober it would have been better.

“She’s gone very grey in the face. Oh sweetheart I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, after all these years.

“I don’t want her to die, I just want to get her the help that she needed. I have tried for the last 33 years to end her misery, but I’m not enough.

“I just picked up the knife and thought ‘f**k you’ and I stabbed her.

“Stay still, the ambulance is coming now. Don’t worry my darling.

“I always wanted a baby, we never had children. All I wanted was babies and she promised me babies before we got married and it never happened.

“The helicopter is outside now, it’s coming for Gail. I’ve got no clothes on.

“The poor little thing, I have done my best to look after her but all I have got back for everything I have tried to do for her is s**t.

“I do love her.”