A THAI bride was terrified when her husband attacked her.

At the time Matthew Venn, 37, was holding two knives and he told her "Which knife will you choose for me to kill you?", said prosecutor Byron Broadstock at Cardiff crown court.

Venn, of Monnow Way, Bettws, Newport, admitted two charges of common assault on Suchada Venn.

He was sentenced to a community order involving supervision for 12 months and unpaid work for the community of 80 hours. He was also ordered to pay costs of £578.

Judge Christopher Llewellyn-Jones told him: "What you did towards your wife was very wrong. I think you appreciate that.

"It arose out of a clash of cultures, a clash of understanding. It's sad the relationship came to an end when it did."

Mr Broadstock said that on February 15, Mrs Venn went to St Paul's Clinic, Newport, and visibly upset told a nurse of an incident the previous night.

She said the defendant had been pressing her to sign a mortgage form but she didn't understand matters because she was from Thailand and didn't wish to do so.

When they went to bed, Venn woke her up shouting and swearing and put a pillow over her face and grabbed her neck and shoulders.

He then went into the kitchen, took two knives, pointed them at her chest and said: "Which knife would you choose for me to kill you?"

She was terrified, said Mr Broadstock and said "Put the knives down, I'll sign the papers for you" which she later did.

When arrested, Venn said he had picked up the knives "as a joke".

His counsel, Robert Buckland, said: "This was wholly out of character. The relationship is well and truly over and he has a new relationship.

"The facts are accepted and he is very sorry. He acquired a Thai wife and didn't understand the cultural difference."