A jealous man tried to murder his live-in partner by strangling her – after suspecting her of cheating, it has been alleged.

Alan Brough attacked her in May at his home in Halliday Drive, Walmer – leaving girlfriend Teresa O’Brien-Morrish, 67, struggling to breathe.

Earlier, the 63-year-old – who denies attempted murder – had installed a spy camera in her bedroom and paid for a private eye to follow her, it was claimed.

But prosecutor Eloise Marshall told a jury at Canterbury Crown Court that his “paranoid” suspicions were unfounded.

Brough had made an emergency call to police at 10.20pm, telling the operator he thought he had killed his partner.

“He went on to say that he thought she had been having an affair and that he had flipped and got her round the neck.

“At the time he was making the call, Ms Morrish was struggling to breathe and Brough could be heard begging her to breathe and begging her to stay alive.

“He can be heard saying: ‘Come on Tess..come on breathe!’ Although he told the operator he thought she was having an affair, that wasn’t the case at all, “ the prosecutor said.

Police found Ms Morrish unconscious, lying on a bed in a spare bedroom, her body convulsing and her teeth clamped shut.

Ms Marshall said a doctor was flown by helicopter to treat her before she was taken to the William Harvey Hospital where she remained sedated for 48 hours.

“She had various injuries, including dots of blood around the eyes, caused by her neck being compressed for between 15 to 30 seconds, “ it was alleged.

The victim had also suffered damage to her voicebox after being hit possibly by “a fist”, the prosecutor claimed...although Ms Morrish had no memory of any part of the attack.

The jury heard the couple had been in a non-sexual relationship for 18 months although they lived together.

Brough was regarded by his victim as “laid-back” at the start and there had been outward displays of affection between the couple.

“Despite that they had not had sex. But Ms Morrish was invited to move in to his home.

“The relationship soon deteriorated because Brough came to believe that she was having affairs. The nature of his beliefs can be described as paranoia, “ she claimed.

Ms Morrish was accused of having an affair with a friend’s husband, of making phone calls and even by looking up at a building as the couple walked along the road.

The prosecutor said that Brough had then hired a private investigator to follow his girlfriend and got a company to install a spy camera.

But the prosecutor said the couple had never even had sex and she told the jury that a previous girlfriend of Brough will claim she was also the victim of his “delusional beliefs.”

The trial continues.