A jealous ex-boyfriend tried to kill a man he thought was a love rival after spying on his former partner, Oxford Crown Court heard.

Ian Holland, who denies attempted murder, is accused of attacking computer programmer Adam Dickson after watching him have a late-night cup of tea with Lisa Cebral.

Holland, 33, of Edinburgh Way, Banbury, also denies an alternative charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

The jury was told Holland's relationship with Miss Cebral, the mother of his daughter, had ended in 2003 but he had not accepted it was over at the time of the alleged attack in June last year.

David Bright, prosecuting, said Miss Cebral had gone out in Banbury and was given a lift back to her home in nearby Kings Sutton by Mr Dickson, a platonic friend, at about 2am.

Mr Bright said: "They drank tea and chatted. They would have been visible to anyone outside the house.

"Someone, who remains anonymous, made a number of phone calls to Miss Cebral at that time but did not speak. Whenever she stood up to answer the phone, it stopped ringing, almost as though the caller was watching her movements.

"Mr Holland had a motive, a glaringly obvious one, if he believed Mr Dickson was Miss Cebral's new lover - watching them through the window at 3am with jealousy eating away at him."

Mr Bright said Mr Dickson drove back to his home in Adderbury, but had no recollection of the attack and was found by his parents lying in a pool of blood.

He spent almost five weeks in hospital with multiple skull fractures, swelling to the brain and bruising. He has still not returned to work.

The case continues.