FATHER-of-three Colin Holcombe subjected his estranged wife to a vicious attack the night before he died in police custody, an inquest has heard.

Sarah Holcombe relived the horror of that evening as she took to the witness stand on the second day of the inquest into his death.

But, although he threw her down the stairs and left her nursing a broken nose and fractured jaw, Mrs Holcombe still spoke fondly of her husband.

She told the hearing he was a 'happy go lucky' man who liked helping others.

Jurors heard how the couple's marriage broke down in 2000 because of Mr Holcombe's drunken assaults on his wife.

When he died, the 50-year-old digger driver had recently been released from prison for violence against her.

But the two remained friends and on December 27, 2003, Mr Holcombe visited her at her then home in Buckland Close, Park North, to help with DIY.

It was during the day that he first complained of a sore throat.

He was also sweating, and had a headache.

Mr Holcombe, of Faringdon, later died at Westlea police station after an infection caused his throat to swell up and close off the airway.

In the evening the two went to the Worthington Inn, in Nythe.

Mr Holcombe drank eight pints of strong lager all paid for by his wife and was staggering around and slurring his speech by the time they left at 10pm.

When they reached Mrs Holcombe's home he flew into a terrifying rage.

"He would get argumentative and was very jealous and possessive if anyone spoke to me," she said.

"I can remember going to the bathroom, and he came to the bathroom door."

Mr Holcombe threw her down the stairs, then began kicking and slapping her around the head.

"He was shouting, but I couldn't understand what he was saying," she said.

"His speech was slurred and he was spitting."

He wrecked the house, smashing wine bottles and throwing furniture around before leaving and taking the phone outside.

Mrs Holcombe, who now lives in Turnpike Road, Highworth, managed to retrieve the phone and called her sister, saying she feared for her life.

Mr Holcombe had broken back into the house, and was standing in the kitchen.

After the attack, he became placid, and offered no resistance when arrested.

He died the next morning in his cell.

The hearing in Trowbridge is expected to last two weeks.

Tamash Lal