AN abusive husband who strangled his wife to death following taunts he was not the father of her children has been jailed indefinitely.

Ronald Tyler, 47, attacked his wife Julie McKinley while she was "vulnerable and naked" in bed following a row at their Stroud Green home on December 31, 2009.

He was cleared of her murder, but found guilty of manslaughter by reason of provocation after Old Bailey jurors heard evidence that Ms McKinley knew how to push his buttons.

Judge Jeffrey Pegden QC, sentencing, said Tyler, an alcholic with a personality disorder and a life-long history of violence, posed a serious risk to the public - particularly women he is in a relationship with.

Tyler was handed an indeterminate sentence and ordered to serve a minimum of eight years imprisonment before a parole board can begin to consider his release. He will be let out only if he is no longer considered a risk to the public.

Judge Pegden said: "There was not extreme conduct on the part of the deceased. In my judgement she was no threat to you.

"In particular there had been verbal abuse in the past in the course of arguments, including the suggestion you were not the children's father and you had taken those suggestions, to use your words, 'with a pinch of salt'."

He added: "The deceased was vulnerable, she was naked in bed and had little chance of defending herself.

"As you told the jury sometimes you do not know your own strength. You held the power in the relationship and the deceased frequently relented and took you back after your violent and threatening behaviour.

"This offence took place with the children in the flat and your baby in the room.

"You regained your self control extremely quickly, you kissed your children goodbye and then left to get alcohol and stayed on the streets drinking.

"You didn't call the emergency services until the early hours of the morning when you thought the children would be waking up to find their mother dead.

"You then proceeded to drink for two days and make yourself scarce on the streets."

The pair had been in a "tempestuous" relationship for more 16 years, married for three, and often came to blows over his drinking and excessive jealousy.

Mr Tyler confessed to police that he "squashed her throat" in a bid to shut her up, when she made the accusation he had not fathered the youngest of their four children.

Julie had arrived home late the previous evening after spending the day at a family gathering in Crouch End.

She found a note from "Ronnie" which read: "I have gone looking for you. You should have phoned me. Your phone has been turned off."

When Tyler returned the pair got into an argument and he told police he "lost it".

He strangled her until she was unconscious and then tucked her in bed, pulling the covers up to her chin. Mr Tyler then kissed his children goodbye, and fled the flat leaving their toddler asleep in the cot beside his dead wife, and their three other daughters alone and asleep in the next room.

More than an hour later, at 6.20am, he called emergency services, briskly stating the address, before adding: "You will find a dead body there, but be careful there's four children asleep as well, ok?" He then hung up and went on the run.

He spent the following two nights sleeping rough in Tottenham Marshes and Chestnuts Park until he was recognised by police and arrested.