A former Olympic athlete held a pillow over his doctor wife's face until she felt like she couldn't breathe, a court heard today.
The incident during a family holiday in the Lake District was the 'final straw' after eight years of 'cruel' behaviour by Curtis Robb, 54, who ran for Team GB at the Barcelona and Atlanta Games before qualifying as a surgeon, a jury was told.
It made his wife Sarah realise that she was 'going to end up dead' if she didn't leave him, the court heard.
Previous outbursts included grabbing her by the neck and pushing her into a pair of French windows, as well as shoving her into a banister and making her fear she would be thrown down the stairs, it was alleged.
When he was violent, Ms Robb - with whom he has three children - learnt 'not to react', Chester Crown Court was told.
