An Adelaide nurse who stabbed his wife multiple times carried out the "vicious and cowardly" attack because he was angry she wanted to end their marriage, the Supreme Court has heard.

Key points: George Alexander Freeman, 61, stabbed his wife repeatedly, hitting her lung

George Alexander Freeman, 61, stabbed his wife repeatedly, hitting her lung During the attack Freeman — a nurse — threw clothing over his victim

During the attack Freeman — a nurse — threw clothing over his victim The court heard Freeman bought the knife from The Reject Shop days earlier

The court is preparing to sentence George Alexander Freeman, 61, who pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of his 57-year-old wife.

In her victim impact statement, his wife — who the ABC has chosen not to name — told the court she decided to end the relationship in November 2017, because she discovered Freeman had been cheating on her and was "exhausted by his lies".

"I didn't expect that you would ever hurt me and was taken by surprise on the morning of the violent attack," she said.

The court heard Freeman waited for his adult stepson to leave for work before attacking his wife in her bedroom with a 30-centimetre knife.

It heard Freeman bought the knife five days before the attack from The Reject Shop.

"Without any words spoken … you stabbed me multiple times," she told the court.

"I tried to protect myself from the knife with my right arm and hand, however I was unsuccessful.

"After the last blow to my lung I believed I was going to die.

"I gave up defending myself and told you I loved you and always had at which time you stopped the attack."

The woman said Freeman showed no remorse and left her to die on the floor.

"At no stage did you try to stop my bleeding, instead you threw clothing from the wash basket on me and callously slapped the knife in and out of my right hand," she said.

"I'm trusting the legal system to sentence you appropriately to ensure other men like you will think twice before causing harm to another."

'He left her bleeding on the floor'

Prosecutor Kelly Smith said Freeman was motivated by his "festering anger" over his wife no longer wanting to be married to him.

"This was an unprovoked, premeditated, vicious and cowardly attack in the victim's own home where she had the right to feel safe and secure," she said.

The court heard the woman suffered extensive injuries and was left with multiple scars and ongoing psychological trauma.

"Given the nature of the attack, the victim was indeed fortunate to escape with her life," Ms Smith said.

"As a nurse, the accused had the skills to render assistance to his wife — he did not.

"Instead, he left her bleeding on the floor."

The court heard Freeman only called an ambulance after his wife begged him to get help.

"While she lay dying on the floor, he bent down and then dragged the knife through her outstretched hand in various ways whilst she lay helpless watching," Ms Smith said.

"He acted without any semblance of normal human emotion."

Defence lawyer Andy Ey argued that the attack was not premeditated and that his client had instead bought the $6 knife to use during a fishing trip.

Mr Ey said Freeman was remorseful for his actions.

"The remorse is genuine, and that remorse is also demonstrated by his early guilty plea," he said.

"He doesn't seek to excuse his behaviour, but the only explanation I can advance is the deterioration of his mental health, the Parkinson's disease and the major depressive disorder that he was suffering at the time of this offending."

Freeman faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

He will be sentenced on August 8.