London ? A British man who said he strangled his wife during a nightmare about fighting off an intruder has been found innocent in her death.

Prosecutors had originally asked a jury to find Brian Thomas not guilty by reason of insanity, which could see him sent to a psychiatric hospital. But they withdrew the case against him on Friday, and said expert opinion was that hospitalization was not appropriate.

Thomas had accepted he had killed Christine, his childhood sweetheart and wife of 40 years, the jury was told at the beginning of his trial earlier this week.

The Thomases, who lived outside Swansea, about 185 miles west of London, were on holiday in their camper van in July 2008. After having their sleep disturbed by cars racing nearby, Brian Thomas had a nightmare that someone was breaking into the van.

The court was told that Brian Thomas suffered from a long-term sleep disorder and was in a state of automatism — where his mind had no control over his body — when he strangled Christine, with whom he had two daughters.