A jealous husband who strangled his wife to death for an innocent relationship with another man has been convicted of manslaughter.

Agim Isaku, 40, of Convent Way, Southall was found guilty on Wednesday (February 24) following a 24-day trial at the Old Bailey.

The court heard how Isaku became controlling of his wife Elife Beqa, 33, known to her friends as Eli, after she started a platonic friendship with a man.

He monitored her phone, stopped her from accessing Facebook and insisted she leave a job she enjoyed.

All this resentment finally boiled over at the family home on August 13 last year, when he attacked the mum-of-two during an argument, while their young sons slept in the neighbouring room.

Isaku called 999 and told the police operator: “I just, yeah I think my wife is dead, so.”

When the operator asked how she had died the caller replied: “Struggling together, struggling together, with each other.”

Officers detained Isaku at the flat, and went inside to find Eli unconscious on the bedroom floor.

They administered first aid before she was taken to hospital in critical condition, where she died on the same day.

A post-mortem gave cause of death as compression of the neck, the victim had also suffered other injuries to her back and arm.

Isaku was arrested at the scene for attempted murder and, following his wife’s death, further arrested for murder.

At first he told officers, he had argued with his wife and she had tried to attack him with a knife, and then he held her in headlock.

Isaku later admitted he had planted the knife in the bedroom.

During interviews he declined to answer most questions put to him, saying he was depressed and confused.

He spoke to say he had been married for 13 years to Eli and she was the mother of his two children.

Isaku was charged with Eli’s murder on August 14.

Detective Inspector Louise Knipe, of the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: “This was a terrible crime that has taken the life of a young woman and robbed two young children of their mother.

"Eli told a friend she was she was planning on making her husband a cake for his birthday and she seems to have been working hard to make the marriage work.

“Despite Eli’s efforts to make her husband happy, Isaku’s unfounded jealously drove him to carry out a savage assault. He then tried to shift the blame for the violence on Eli, but the jury has seen through his lies and convicted him of manslaughter.

“No one should live in fear and I would appeal to anyone who is living with domestic abuse, or knows someone who is, to contact police. We have specialist officers who are there to help and support victims and your call to police may save a life.”

He is due to be sentenced on Tuesday March 1.