A REAL life Shirley Valentine who had a whirlwind romance with a hotel entertainer didn't get the happy ever after she planned when he attempted to murder her.

Fiona Garcia, 40, from East Kilbride, was stabbed in the chest by Jose Garcia, 28, during a discussion about money being sent home to his family in the Dominican Republic.

The couple met in the Caribbean and began a relationship in August 2010 when she was on holiday with her mother.

Months later in February 2011, after Mrs Garcia had received a £43,000 redundancy payout, they married abroad before he moved to her home in East Kilbride and she paid off his family's debt.

But there was tension in the house over money and during a discussion about him sending more money than they agreed to his family, he walked in to the living room and plunged a knife into her chest.

Mr Garcia denied attacking his wife on July 19, 2013 and claimed that he accidentally put the blade into her when he picked up the knife and turned round to face her in the kitchen.

The jury at the High Court in Glasgow rejected this and convicted him of attempted murder.

Mrs Garcia broke down in tears when the verdict was returned and was consoled by relatives. Mr Garcia showed no reaction.

Judge Michael O'Grady QC told Garcia it was an appalling and disturbing crime that his wife survived "no thanks to him".

He said: "It was a cold blooded attack with a lethal weapon on your wife."

Mrs Garcia told the court the couple met in August 2010 and she returned in October that year to visit. They got engaged and married months later.

In the summer of 2011 after getting a visa, Garcia moved to the UK to be with her - leaving behind a son and other family.

Mrs Garcia told the court he had assaulted her on other occasions and that he was supposed to return to the Dominican Republic months before the attack, but that he did not get on the flight.

Garcia was told he faces a lengthy jail term and will be sentenced next month.