A MAN who served six years of a life sentence for killing his wife has walked free - thanks to a change in the law.

Philip Rowland was convicted of murdering his wife Linda, 37, a mother-of-two, at their home in Walker, Tyneside, in 1997.

Last month Appeal Court judges quashed Rowland's murder conviction after hearing how his wife - who he stabbed to death in a frenzied attack - had baited him about his sexual dysfunction.

The court replaced it with a manslaughter conviction and cut his sentence from life to seven years, with the result that he walked free.

Yesterday Lord Justice Potter gave the reasons for the court's decision, saying a crucial factor had been changes in the law on provocation since Rowland was found guilty.

The judge, sitting with Mr Justice Cresswell and Mr Justice Davis, said Rowland - of previous good character - was quieter than his very sociable wife and had become anxious about her heavy drinking.

He had developed a condition which caused a bend in his penis and, although it did not effect his sexual performance, the judge said his wife taunted him and laughed about it.

Rowland, 44, said that, despite numerous attempts to talk to her, his wife refused to discuss their relationship.

On the night he killed her at their home in Berry Close, Walker, she taunted him again about his condition and, when the row became heated, she stuck her fingernails in his face.

Rowland had offered before his trial to plead guilty to manslaughter by reason of provocation, but the prosecution pressed ahead with the murder charge.

The law was changed by a House of Lords ruling in 2001.

Lord Justice Potter ruled that the jury might have reached a different verdict had they heard evidence that the clinical depression Rowland was suffering at the time may have contributed to his loss of control.