A HELENSBURGH resident burned his wife with hot tea and choked her until she was unconscious after discovering she was having an affair.

Garry O'Donnell pounced on Rhona O'Donnell after returning from work early claiming he had "good news".

The 37 year-old coach driver, of East King Street, instead went on to show her messages he had between Rhona and her work colleague, who she had been "romantically involved" with.

During the vicious attack, his wife yelled: "I am going to die."

She eventually managed to flee and drove herself injured to hospital.

O'Donnell then called police, admitting he had "lost the plot" after finding his wife had been "cheating".

The first offender now faces a jail-term after he pleaded guilty on Friday to assaulting his wife to her severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of her life.

He will be sentenced next month.

The attack occurred at the couple's then home in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire on September 12, 2021.

O'Donnell had been suspicious of his wife of 10 years in the weeks before the crime.

Prosecutor Mark Mohammed told the High Court in Glasgow: "In the summer of 2021, she became romantically involved with a work colleague."

O'Donnell later moved out to stay with his parents, but returned hoping to save his relationship.

Mr Mohammed: "His wife told him that she wanted to end the marriage. He refused to accept this."

In the early hours of September 12, O'Donnell unexpectedly came back from work.

He asked to speak to his wife in the kitchen - and went on to show her his mobile phone.

Mr Mohammed: "She saw messages between herself and her male colleague. 

"He made comments about them and Rhona O'Donnell then turned to walk away."

Raging O'Donnell then hurled a mug of hot, black tea over his wife causing her "extreme pain".

He managed to pin her to the ground and slapped both hands around her neck to strangle her.

Mr Mohammed: "She could not breathe and her vision began to fade."

O'Donnell went to grab her by the hair and smack her head repeatedly off a kitchen unit.

He choked her again leading to her to lose consciousness.

When she came to, Rhona desperately tried to find her phone to get help stating: "I am going to die."

She eventually got her mobile and jumped in her car to the local hospital.

O'Donnell dialled 999 and confessed: "She split up with me and then I found out she's been cheating...texting somebody.

"I came home from work and I attacked her."

The court heard Rhona needed to go to a specialist burns unit for injuries to her back and neck.

She also had bruising to her head, nose, cheek and collar bone.

Rhona was able to leave hospital on September 20 and luckily her burns had healed.

Rhonda Anderson, defending, told the court on Friday that O'Donnell had been in "emotional turmoil" in the weeks before the attack.

The lawyer added: "He is utterly ashamed and appalled at what he did."

Lord Beckett continued bail and deferred sentencing for reports until December 2 in Edinburgh.