A jilted husband was today jailed for life for murdering his wife in front of their young son.

Andrew Parsons, 38, of Bicester, Oxfordshire, beat his wife Janee, 31, and plunged a large kitchen knife into her body 17 times after their marriage broke down when she began seeing another man.

The horrific attack was witnessed by one of the couple’s two young sons, who begged his father to stop the onslaught and call for an ambulance, Oxford Crown Court was told.

Murder: Andrew Parsons (left), 38, of Bicester, Oxfordshire, beat his wife Janee (right), 31, and plunged a large kitchen knife into her body 17 times after their marriage broke down when she began seeing another man

Despite the fact that the entire murder ordeal was recorded on a dictaphone which Mr Parsons had hidden under his wife’s bed, he had tried to claim that it was Mrs Parsons who had attacked him.

Mr Parsons had argued that he had gone to fetch a towel and returned to find her holding the knife before lunging at him. He claimed he tried to disarm her but when she cut his hand he ‘lost control’.

However, a jury of four women and eight men rejected his claims after nine hours of deliberation – and he was told he will be locked up for at least 20 years before being considered for parole.

There were tears in the public gallery among both Mrs Parsons’s family – and from Mr Parsons’s own relations as David Hislop QC spoke in mitigation. Some members of the jury were also in tears.

House: Mr Parsons began picking fights with his wife at their home (pictured) in Bicester, Oxfordshire – with their exchanges escalating until he beat her up and fetched a large knife to kill her

Mr Parsons sank back into his chair and put his head down as Mr Hislop told the court: ‘This was a very tragic loss of life. No-one more than Andrew Parsons wishes he could turn the clock back.

‘He loved his wife, perhaps too much – and still does. He will forever have to live with what he has done. He will forever have to live with the knowledge that he did what he did in front of his son.

‘He will live every moment, whatever sentence this court passes upon him, in the knowledge that he has single-handedly destroyed not only his life but the lives of others, especially his family.’

Mr Hislop said a psychiatric report showed Mr Parsons ‘was under the most extraordinary pressure’ and was suffering with depression at the time. As he stood to be sentenced, he began to cry softly.

Jailing him, Judge Patrick Eccles said: ‘First you hit and punched her to the ground. I am satisfied that the bruises to her face and defensive bruises to her hands were inflicted by you in anger.’

‘She was petite and you are a fit and active sportsman. It’s apparent that before you went down to fetch the knife she was terrified and she really was afraid that you were going to kill her.

‘You went back upstairs and within moments were attacking your wife. It’s clear that you were overwhelmed by a jealous rage and stabbed her and slashed at her repeatedly.’

Judge Eccles added: ‘Nobody now can predict the degree of emotional and psychological trauma he (Mr Parsons’s young son) will suffer in future years but it will be significant.

‘Whatever suffering you will go through, it is nothing compared with that which you have caused to your children and to your wife’s family and of course to Janee.’

Judge Eccles said he was ‘heartbroken’ at the break-up, but added: ‘The failure of a marriage and disappointment at being left for another man is relatively slight mitigation.’

Together: Despite the fact that the entire murder ordeal was recorded on a dictaphone which Mr Parsons (left) had hidden under his wife’s bed, he had tried to claim that it was Mrs Parsons (right) who had attacked him

Beautician Mrs Parsons chose to leave him for her new man Daniel Hansens before asking for a divorce – but had agreed to stay with her husband until after Christmas for the sake of their sons.

On the day of her death last December she had been getting ready to go away for the weekend for an awards event and Mr Hansens was going to accompany her to meet her work colleagues.

However, that morning former football apprentice Mr Parsons began picking fights with his wife – with their exchanges escalating until he beat her up and fetched a large knife to kill her.

Following the case, Mrs Parsons’ parents, Mary and Phil Brady, said she was ‘a lovely, caring person’, ‘a wonderful mother, daughter, sister and friend’ and ‘a truly unique woman’.

Detective Chief Inspector Joe Kidman, of Thames Valley Police, said: ‘The murder of a loved one is always a great tragedy for the victim’s family and friends.

‘This case was unusual because the terrible brutality of the attack was captured on an audio recording. Hearing this has been an additional burden for the grieving family to bear.’

Read more: Daily Mail