A SARDINIAN who travelled to Britain to stab his love rival to death in his own front room collapsed in the dock today.

The trial of 56-year-old Francesco Matta was adjourned at Exeter Crown Court after he fell to the floor sobbing while the jury heard evidence of the multiple stab wounds he inflicted.

Matta from Cagliari, Sardinia was attended by three dock officers, and Judge Graham Cottle halted the trial until this afternoon.

Matta has pleaded not guilty to murdering Flight Lieutenant Stephen Keen, 54 on July 6 last year in Tiverton, Devon.

Flt Lt Keen was living with the defendant's wife, 53-year-old Susan Matta after their teenage romance was rekindled via the Friends Reunited website.

Prosecutor Martin Meeke QC has told the court Matta admitted the killing and would say he should be convicted of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility due to depression.

Before Matta collapsed, Home Office pathologist Dr Dyan Fernando said Flt Lt Keen died as a result of two wounds to the right hand side of the neck which ran into each other and twice cut the carotid artery.

He said this was likely to lead to rapid death in a matter of minutes.

He also described a gaping wound across the front of the neck, again two stab wounds which ran into each other and would not be immediately fatal.

Dr Fernando was describing an apparent bite mark on Mr Keen's body when Matta collapsed in the dock.

The court has heard Mrs Matta married the defendant in June 2003, moved to Sardinia with him the same year, and a month later made contact with Mr Keen via the internet.

The court has heard how Matta travelled to the UK, drove to Tiverton in a hired van, and knocked on the door of the house shared by his wife and the victim.

Mrs Matta has described to the jury how the attack on Mr Keen and the aftermath was like "the worst horror movie" with "blood everywhere".

She said the attack had left her feeling "touched by evil".