A MAN in Taiwan stabbed his wife at least 35 times with a knife and fell asleep next to the blood-stained body, exhausted after his exertions, reported Nanyang Siang Pau.

The incident was only discovered several hours later by one of the couple's sons, who returned home in the wee hours on Wednesday.

It is learnt that the man, known only as Luo, had flown into a rage before stabbing his sleeping wife.

Police, who were called to the scene, said Luo kept mumbling “cannot sleep, cannot think straight”.

Initial investigations showed there were stab wounds on his wife's face, neck, chest, abdomen and hands.