A JEALOUS husband clubbed his cheating wife to death as their ten-year-old son cowered upstairs, a court heard today.

Michael Luke, 45, is accused of murdering his accounts clerk wife Johanna, 37.

Teesside Crown Court heard that just minutes before Johanna's death her husband had confronted her and her lover in the street while their ten-year-old son Kieron watched on in his pyjamas.

Luke, of Priory Gardens in Willington, County Durham, later told police Johanna had kicked and hit him when the couple returned to the marital home.

He claimed that she had taunted him about her lover but the landscape gardener later told police he had no recollection of the murder.

Aiden Marran, prosecuting, said the couple had always had a volatile marriage.

He said: "Michael Luke was possessive and jealous. He closely monitored his wife's movements.

"He bombarded her with telephone calls and accused her repeatedly of infidelity which was on some occasions true.

"He criticised her clothing and followed her from place to place.

Mr Marran said Mr Luke would sometimes have to be restrained by the couple's 17-year-old daughter.

He would put his face right up to his wife's face and scream at her.

On one occasion when his wife was away on a course overnight, he bombarded her with repeated calls until 3am and started again at 5am.

He followed her and even recruited a work mate to follow her.

Mr Marran said: "On the night of her death, Sunday August 28, Johanna said she was going out in Durham to stay at her sister's house.

"She left Kieron on the stairs crying and was obviously concerned for him.

"Luke called his workmate Keith Fox to follow her. Mr Fox obliged and discovered that instead of going to Durham she went to an address in Willington, five minutes from the family home.

"The defendant took his son and his work friend to the address while his son was in his pyjamas."

A confrontation followed between Mr Luke, his wife and her lover, Mark Cole, in the street.

Mr Marran said: "The accused said: "I know what's been going on". He said to Mark Cole: "Can you see what you are doing to this family?"

"He said Cole wasn't the first and wouldn't be the last. Johanna sensibly got between the two men."

Michael Luke went back to the family home with Keiron having eventually persuaded his wife to meet him there.

Johanna called her brother-in-law, Paul Ashton, asking him to pick her up later from the marital home.

Johanna had a car but it was a cause of frequent arguments between her and Luke as he did not always let her drive it.

Mr Marran said: "When Paul Ashton arrived, he went into the hallway. The defendant closed the living room door. He grabbed Ashton by the shoulder saying 'take Kieron out of here'.

"Kieron was sat at the top of the stairs. The defendant said 'I hit Jo.'

"Kieron screamed and ran back to his bedroom. Ashton opened the living room door and saw Johanna on the sofa slumped with her head resting on her left arm.

"The defendant said 'I've hit her with a hammer because she's having an affair'.

"Ashton, shocked, simply panicked and rushed up to the bedroom and grabbed the little boy who was screaming and hysterical, to drive him from the scene."

Mr Marran said it could be proved there were at least four blows to Mrs Luke's head, she was hit with a heavy hammer, the kind normally used to lay paving stones.

She never regained consciousness and it was probable that she died a few minutes after the blows although she was pronounced dead at hospital later on.

When police arrived, Michael Luke had been joined by his two brothers and the partner of one of the brother's.

Mr Luke was smoking a cigarette. Mrs Luke was found with her car keys in her hand as if she was about to drive off.

Mr Marran said: "Somebody, almost definitely one of the defendant's brother's, told Michael Luke: "I have no sympathy for what you have done." Luke replied: "I don't want any sympathy.

"Later he asked police 'can somebody check on my son. He was there when I caught my wife."

The court heard that Luke was considered unfit for interview and was taken for mental health care.

He was not interviewed by police until five days later when he said he could not remember any violence.

Mr Marran said: "In one of the interviews with the police, the defendant said the deceased had physically attacked him.

"He said his wife had been physical towards both of the children. He said 'She just went for us, kicking us and hitting us. When I asked her to stay she said 'get stuffed' ".

"I was on my knees begging her to stay. I went for a drink of milk, the hammer was next to the fridge. I threatened her saying I would smash the car so she couldn't use it.

"She was just laughing. I don't know what happened. I didn't want us to hurt anymore."

The court heard that the couple had been married since 1987.

The trial continues.