A PUB landlord who is beginning a life sentence for stabbing his wife to death was a serial love cheat, says his sister-in-law. The full extent of Martin Illing's adulterous behaviour and the heartache it caused his wife Jennifer has been revealed by her youngest sister.

Illing, 41, who ran the Saxon Chief pub in Maidstone, had denied murder claiming that he was only guilty of manslaughter by reason of provocation. But a jury at Maidstone Crown Court unanimously convicted him of the murder charge. Mrs Illing's sister, Edith Hitchcock, 34, who lives in France, said: "I spoke to my sister the Saturday before she died. She was happy and had made up her mind to leave home. Jen knew about the affairs but held strong family values close to her heart. She didn't want to split up the family, but had had enough.

"At the end of the day Martin's marriage vows meant nothing to him. My sister was head over heals in love with him for sometime, but there had to be a cut off point. She told me about a new man she had met but it wasn't a physical relationship. It was more of a friendship.

"She wasn't leaving Martin for him. She was going to buy another pub in Maidstone and run it herself. The sad thing is she kept saying Martin could never hurt her again. She had been so hurt by him she said he could never do her any more harm."

Mrs Hitchcock added: "I spoke to Martin four hours before he killed my sister and he told me he had confessed everything to her. He said she was leaving him and he had confessed to all his affairs. He said he had also told her about a longstanding affair he had been having with a woman called Cheryl.

"This was an incredibly jealous and incredibly possessive man who tried to dominate and control his wife. Only one person knows if he truly loved his wife, however, and that's him."

Mrs Hitchcock praised Det Insp Nigel Shambler for his help during the case. She stressed: "He has offered such support for me and my family right from January. I can't thank him enough."