A father has been warned to expect a long jail sentence after being convicted of attempting to murder his ex-wife’s new husband.

Girdaware Basra was also found guilty of wounding his former wife with intent and breaching a restraining order.

The 55-year-old attacked Resham Singh with a blade, believed to be a cleaver, in a jealous rage and injured Sukhvinder Kaur when she tried to stop him.

Basra had invited Sukhvinder, 41, their children and Mr Singh, 32, to the former matrimonial home in Beaumont Drive, Northfleet, to celebrate the Sikh Diwali festival on October 26 last year.

At first, there was no sign of trouble as they ate, drank alcohol and let off fireworks.

But later during an argument in a bedroom, Basra told Mr Singh to leave, Maidstone Crown Court heard.

When Mr Singh replied he was not leaving without his wife, Basra went to a cabinet and picked up “something like a cleaver”, with a sharp cutting edge.

He repeatedly brought it down on Mr Singh’s head, causing him serious injuries, including a gaping wound.

Mr Singh bit into Basra’s ear in an attempt to stop the attack. Sukhvinder’s left ring finger was badly cut as she stepped in.

She at first gave a false account to police, saying she and Mr Singh were mugged at The Overcliffe.

When giving evidence through an interpreter, she was treated as hostile by the prosecution.

Basra denied all the charges, claiming he acted in self-defence.

He maintained he did not have a cleaver and said the injuries were caused when he lashed out with a lamp to stop Mr Singh biting off his ear.

After the unanimous verdicts by the jury of seven women and five men, Judge Jeremy Gold QC told Basra: “You have been convicted of a most serious offence. A substantial custodial sentence is inevitable.”

The judge said he would have to consider the question of dangerousness, which could trigger indefinite imprisonment for public protection.

Basra was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at Croydon Crown Court on July 23, where Judge Gold will then be sitting.