A man accused of murdering his wife strangled her about two months before killing her and their daughter, a court heard.

Marcin Zdun had previously attacked his wife, Aneta, according to her friend, who said she told her afterwards she "really couldn't breathe".

The couple, both 40, had "difficulties" in their marriage. A murder trial has already heard how Zdun was "jealous", falsely accusing Aneta of an affair.

But now Winchester Crown Court has heard testimony that on April 3 the community support worker was assaulted by her husband in their home on Wessex Road, Salisbury.

Just two months later Zdun is accused of murdering Aneta and their daughter, Nikoleta, at the same address.

'He strangled me'

In a recording of a police interview played out during the trial, the court heard Agnieszka Atras recall the moment her friend told her she had been strangled.

Ms Atras, who also worked for Wessex Care, said this was the reason why Zdun, who denies murder, had been kicked out of the family home.

She told a police officer that Aneta said to her: "Agnes, please don't tell anyone about the reason why I want him to move.

"[It's] because he strangled me... I was so blue.

"Nikoleta came and pushed him away so he pushed her back and she fell on the floor."

Ms Atras said she was "shocked" to hear about the incident and replied to her friend "maybe [there's] something wrong with him, was he like that before?"

Wife 'happier' after accused moved out

The court heard that in the last six months, after coming home from his night shifts, Zdun had been locking himself in the bedroom to drink and "never took care of the kids".

Asked what started the argument that led to Aneta allegedly being strangled, Ms Atras said she didn't know.

"She only said 'I really couldn't breathe, he strangled me that hard I really couldn't breathe'."

During her interview with the police, Ms Atras said that in the four weeks after he moved out her friend looked "much happier" and spoke to her about wanting to dye her hair and starting to wear make up again.

Zdun doesn't deny killing Aneta and Nikoleta but claims he has "no recollection of what he did" on the afternoon of June 1.

Affair suspicions

Prosecutor Nicholas Haggan QC told the court Zdun was "angry" and "jealous" because he wrongly suspected Aneta to be cheating on him with another Tesco worker.

One day, he even went up to him to confront him during one of his shifts, the jury heard.

Giving evidence in court, Martin Punter, who worked nights in the 'fresh' section of the store on Southampton Road in Salisbury, told the jury about the moment he was approached by Zdun and accused of having an affair with his wife.

Mr Punter said: "He walked readily towards me and started talking to me. He was aggressive and agitated.

"He asked if I was having an affair with his wife. He said someone had told him."

Zdun, who speaks little English, was using an online translator while "waving his phone around" to show a picture of his wife and daughter on the lock screen.

"I was just shocked because I'd only started working recently at Tesco and I'd [just] met him and I didn't know who his wife was," Mr Punter said.

After denying the affair and also showing pictures of his family, Zdun apologised and shook his hand, jurors heard.

Mr Punter reported the exchange to his managers but didn't think too much of it until he found out Aneta and Nikoleta had been killed.

The trial continues.