Italian bridegroom sues bride for £444,000 for jilting him at altar

An Italian bridegroom has sued his bride for £444,000 as compensation for the "emotional distress" he went through after she jilted him at the altar.

The man, who was named only as Riccardo R due to privacy laws, was given the news by the brother of the bride in front of stunned family and friends.

He had spent thousands of euros on the church wedding, which was due to take place in Rome two weeks ago, including a lavish reception at a top hotel and an exotic Pacific honeymoon.

The 32-year-old groom's legal team said that he needed hospital treatment for "hyperventilation and stress" after he was told his bride had left him as she was "in love with another man" with whom she had been having an affair for several months.

Court prosecution documents state that there was "no justifiable motive" for the woman, known as Claudia, to dump her intended husband at the altar and that therefore she should be "liable for compensation for the emotional damage she had caused".

"As she had been having the relationship for some time she could have easily called off the wedding earlier and in a more civil manner rather than by not turning up on the day," The Telegraph quoted them as saying.

The case has been filed in the Rome civil court and a medical certificate showing Riccardo's admission to hospital was also submitted as evidence.