A drunk Ipswich bricklayer who believed his wife was having an affair dragged her out of their car by her hair and left her groaning in pain by the side of the road after kicking and punching her, a court has heard.

Mark Manning was driving home from the Shipwreck pub in Shotley and during the journey had asked his wife of 40 years for a kiss.

She had kissed him “without enthusiasm” and Manning, who was twice the drink drive limit, told her to get out of the car, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

When she refused he pulled her out by her hair and had punched her in the face and head and kicked her in the ribs, said Mitchell Cohen, prosecuting.

A passing car had stopped in Woodlands, Holbrook, at about 7.45 pm on December 4 last year after seeing a woman lying on grass at the side of the road with 60-year-old Manning standing over her.

The woman was groaning in pain and when the driver of the car and his two sons approached they heard Manning say in a quiet voice: “I’m going to kill her.”

His wife had a lump on her forehead and Manning was swaying and appeared to be drunk.

The police and an ambulance were called and at one stage Manning had got into his van and drove it 10m along the road.

He had then returned to his wife and said: “Are you happy now you’re getting some sympathy?”

He then said: “I’m going to kill her, if not today it will be tomorrow.”

Mr Cohen said Manning's wife wanted their relationship to continue and didn’t want the court to make a restraining order.

Manning, 60, of Elmcroft Road, Ipswich, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm, making a threat to kill, drink driving, drink while disqualified and having an offensive weapon.

Sentencing him, Judge Martyn Levett said Manning had believed his wife was having an affair.

In addition to being jailed for 20 months he was banned from driving for 46 months.

Peter Spary, for Manning, said his client was described by his family as a “wonderful man” and the “lynchpin” of the family.

In recent years he’d had an increasing problem with alcohol but since the attack he’d decided to stop drinking.

Mr Spary said Manning was ashamed of what he’d done and wanted to make amends to his wife and family.