A man accused of attempted murder has admitted in court to dousing his wife with petrol and setting her on fire in a tram in the central German city of Gera.

He feels deep remorse and pain for having caused his wife severe suffering, his defence lawyer, Andreas Boine, on Thursday explained on behalf of his client at the start of the trial at Gera Regional Court in the state of Thuringia.

The defendant could not comprehend the breakdown of his 30-year marriage and was in a deep life crisis that he could not overcome, Boine said.

His family, including their three children, was the main focus of the 46-year-old’s life, the defence lawyer further explained.

Prosecutor Marc Prehler said the defendant had been violent in the marriage, his wife had moved in with their adult daughter at the beginning of the year after a fit of jealousy from the man, Prehler said.

As he did not want to live without her and did not want her to lead an independent life, the defendant intended to kill both himself and his wife, Prehler said.

On March 16, the accused Georgian reportedly boarded the tram with a bottle of petrol, the same tram his wife always took to work, knowing she could not get away, according to Prehler.

Within seconds, he poured the petrol on the unsuspecting woman’s face and set her on fire, Prehler said.

The woman then ran through the tram screaming for help and groaning in pain while the defendant watched, said the prosecutor.

The 46-year-old then fled and attempted to cut his wrists. After the failed attempt, he turned himself in to the police a day after the attack

(dpa/NAN)