A husband accused of driving his wife to suicide through a 'tsunami' of physical and sexual abuse has been cleared of all charges. Christopher Trybus, 44, was found not guilty of manslaughter, coercive and controlling behaviour, and two counts of rape at Winchester Crown Court.
Tarryn Baird, 34, was found hanged at the family home in Swindon in November 2017. Prosecutors alleged Trybus subjected her to extensive and escalating abuse, including beatings, choking, and sexual violence. However, the defence argued that Baird had mental health issues and made false allegations.
Defence barrister Katy Thorne KC claimed Trybus was 'falsely, wrongfully and unfairly accused' and that the prosecution was an 'unintended byproduct' of a drive to tackle violence against women. She described the case as 'Kafkaesque'.
The jury of seven women and five men returned majority verdicts after 40 hours of deliberation. Trybus, who ran an IT company, broke down in tears as the verdicts were announced. He hugged his current wife, Bea, outside court.
Judge Mr Justice Linden thanked the jury, noting the case was 'difficult and sad'. The trial is the second high-profile case in over a year where a woman took her own life following alleged domestic abuse, with only one previous manslaughter conviction for such a case.
