Man Denies Abuse Claims in Trial Over Wife's Suicide

Christopher Trybus denies charges of manslaughter, coercive control, and rape in the death of his wife, Tarryn Baird, who died by suicide in 2017. The defence claims Baird made false abuse allegations, while prosecution describes extensive abuse.

Man on Trial for Wife's Manslaughter Denies Abuse Allegations

A man accused of causing his wife to take her own life through a "tsunami" of domestic violence "loved her and cherished her deeply," a court has heard.

Christopher Trybus, a software consultant from Swindon in Wiltshire, faces charges of manslaughter relating to the death of his wife, Tarryn Baird, who died by suicide in November 2017.

In addition to the manslaughter charge, the 43-year-old is also charged at Winchester Crown Court with controlling and coercive behaviour and two counts of rape. He denies all allegations.

Tom Little KC, prosecuting, described to the jury the extensive abuse Trybus allegedly inflicted on Baird, characterising it as a "tsunami" of violence. This included controlling, coercive, and manipulative behaviour alongside sexual assaults.

The prosecution outlined that Trybus exerted control over Baird by using and threatening violence, sexually assaulting her, monitoring her movements, restricting her access to finances, threatening to disclose private information to her family, and isolating her from relatives.

Family handout A woman with brown hair tied-up is wearing a black Adidas raincoat with an orange zip and smiling. She appears to be standing on a harbourside with boats behind her and a row of colourful houses. — Baird was 34 years old when she took her own life

Defence Argues Abuse Allegations Were Fabricated

On Wednesday, Katy Thorne KC, representing Trybus, told the jury that he was "never abusive to his wife."

"This without question is a tragic case, a young woman has died and she took her own life and nothing you decide in this courtroom can alter the grief and loss of those who loved her,"

"The defence position is he didn't beat her, he didn't break her, he didn't coerce her, control her and he didn't cause her death.

"On the contrary, he loved her and cherished her deeply and his case is that without anyone's knowledge, Tarryn Baird was making demonstrably false allegations to health professionals."

Thorne further argued that Trybus's actions were not responsible for Baird's death.

"The defence case is that on a number of occasions Tarryn Baird made allegations of violence which were demonstrably false, for example, by reporting injuries to health professionals when Christopher Trybus was not even in the country.

"Health professionals were being told a false story and her boredom and troubled mind was leading her to make allegations to seek care and attention,"

She emphasised that the allegations were fabricated and that the defendant did not cause the tragic outcome.