A man has been convicted of attempting to murder his estranged wife with a hammer and knife just before Christmas.

Jealous Matthew Breaker, from Sittingbourne, was angry when he discovered Lisa Breaker had been out for a Christmas party the evening of December 11 2022.

A jury at Maidstone Crown Court heard how he began stalking her home just days after they had broken up.

As she returned at 1.45 am, Breaker, 46, struck with a hammer, hitting her over the head.

Prosecutor Don Ramble said: "It appears that Breaker had been drinking before he carried out his attack and the idea of her going out to a Christmas party was, combined with the break-up, seemingly too much for him to handle."

He armed himself with two knives and a hammer and waited for two hours

"Breaker proceeded to violently attack Lisa, repeatedly striking his wife with a hammer, targeting her head.

He then moved on to use a Stanley knife, to continue the attack

"He then moved on to use a Stanley knife, to continue the attack."

The prosecutor told how Mrs Breaker made a desperate attempt to protect herself from the knife and cut her hands trying to grab hold of it.

Mr Ramble said her screams were heard by people living nearby and a teenager ran to her aid and stamped on Breaker's ankle to stop the vicious attack.

The incident was caught on a ring doorbell and the CCTV was shown to the jury.

After the attack, Breaker called the police telling them he had attacked his estranged wife and needed to be arrested.

The prosecutor said: "When police attended the scene, they found that Breaker was still there, unable to stand due to his ankle injury.

"Officers then found the hammer and Stanley knife nearby and, when searched, police found a kitchen knife in Breaker’s coat pocket.”

Breaker, of Swanstree Avenue Sittingbourne, admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent but denied attempting to murder her.

He told the jury he just wanted to scare her and called her a “f*****g s**g” – but a jury took more than seven hours before returning a guilty verdict by 10-2.

Breaker will now be sentenced on August 31 and was told to expect a substantial jail sentence.