London, Dec 23 (IANS) An abusive and bullying Indian-origin man has been jailed for 18 years for stabbing his wife to death at her workplace in London when she chose to start a new life.

Thaker Ramanlal, a 48-year-old father-of-two, slashed Varsha Champaclal's throat and stabbed her four times in the back at a clothing store in south London Feb 13.

A London court heard the call centre worker stalked his 43-year-old wife for more than half-an-hour before attacking her in the shop's storeroom.

The prosecuting lawyer told the court: "After over 20 years of marriage, during which she put up with his bullying, his abusive and controlling behaviour, Varsha Champaclal summoned up the courage to make a new life for herself and her two daughters."

Six months before the murder, police had issued a non-molestation order after Ramanlal chased his wife out with a hammer.

In a statement then, she had said: "Without the non-molestation order, I am certain me and my daughters' lives will be in danger. I am sure our next encounter with him will, for sure, be our deaths."

Police arrested Ramanlal in his flat the day after the murder after he admitted killing his wife and sobbed to an operator during a 999 emergency call: "I want to see my daughter, I want to see my Dolly."

Officers found him drenched in blood on his bed, having cut his wrist.

Nazari, 21, the eldest of their two daughters, wept outside the courtroom after hearing the verdict, saying: "I constantly have images of what he could do to me if he gets out. It's a constant fear in my mind."