A stalker who became obsessed with an ex-lover whom he met via the Internet was today jailed for life after he admitted stabbing her to death.

Council printer Paul Evison, 38, pleaded guilty to murdering nurse Sandra McKean who he attacked in her own home as she slept.

The married father-of-three became infatuated with the 38-year-old during an intense relationship which started when they struck up a conversation in an Internet chatroom where he called himself "Saxon" and she was named "Babette".

He planned to quit his job with Rushcliffe Borough Council, leave his wife, Caroline, and move from the Nottingham area to Howdon, North Tyneside, to be with his lover.

The couple had bought an engagement ring but their six-month affair ended when the divorced mother-of-two decided she did not want to re-marry, Newcastle Crown Court heard today.

Friends described the district nurse, who cared for people with mental health problems, as "an outgoing, bubbly character who was full of fun".

The defendant is father to another child from a relationship before he was married.

He went to Ms McKean's home in Camberley Road and broke in during the early hours of April 7 this year.

He attacked her in her bed, stabbing her 12 times, Brian Forster QC told the hearing.

The defendant later made attempts to kill himself back in Nottinghamshire, the court heard.

James Wood QC, defending, said the case was a classic "crime of passion".

The defendant, who was having sex with at least three women after meeting them via Internet chatrooms, had become obsessed with his ex-lover when she ended the relationship in March, Mr Wood said.

The dead woman, who was said to be intellectually superior to Evison, had at first expressed love for the defendant but later cooled, the court heard.

Mr Wood said: "He (Evison) couldn't handle it and what happened next was a tragedy and a classic crime of passion."

Mr Justice Field told Evison his former lover was perfectly entitled to finish the relationship.

"Unable to accept this, you broke into her house and there you inflicted a frenzied and deadly attack on her with a knife," he told the defendant who stood in the dock in a dark suit, black shirt and black and white tie.

Outside court, Detective Chief Inspector Frank Gallop said Evison had stalked his victim and sat outside her home on more than one occasion.

He said: "His behaviour was classic of a stalker, he was obviously infatuated with her and came back to the north east on more than one occasion in essence to spy on her.

"She didn't contact police because she was not aware he had been there."

Mr Gallop said the murder victim's family were too upset to talk about the case.

He added: "We are very pleased that this was a guilty plea as it saves the family the pain of having to go through with a trial.".