A father-of-three who attacked a Walton man with an axe after his wife confessed to an affair has been jailed for 21 months.

Joao Nunes, 32, was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on November 24 where he pleaded guilty to one count of common assault on his wife, Tracey, and one on her former lover, Nicholas Higdon.

Nunes and his wife were drinking on August 26 at their former home in York Gardens, Walton, when Mrs Nunes revealed she had had an affair with Mr Higdon. Nunes then knocked her unconscious with a blow to the face.

He left the house and when she came round, Mrs Nunes phoned her former lover who came to the house, by then Nunes had returned to the house and answered the door.

The court heard he shouted to his wife: "So this is why you're all dressed up," before attacking Mr Higdon.

Mrs Nunes called the police as the two men wrestled on the ground.

Prosecutor, Simon Shannon said: "Then Mr Higdon got to his feet and walked away because he didn't want anything further to do with it. Mr Nunes was seen by Mrs Nunes to pick up a small axe and go after Mr Higdon, stating he was going to get him."

Nunes chased Mr Higdon of Annett Road, down Normanhurst Road before slashing him across the back with an axe, leaving a three-inch gash.

The court heard that Nunes was cautioned in 1998 for assault against his daughter, and in 2003 for common assault against his wife.

Samantha Hatt, defending, said Nunes had become a "broken man" since the attack, after a court forbade him to contact his wife or see his two-year-old son. She said: "He became angry by what he was told and lost his temper in a momentary flash of anger for which he is remorseful.

"He says he doesn't have a drinking problem but he admits that he is not able to handle drink when he has it and becomes very aggressive. He just wishes he could turn back the clock and deal with matters differently."

Recorder David Brock told Nunes that it was lucky he had not severed Mr Higdon's spine in the attack.