Woman's Suicide Followed 'Tsunami' of Alleged Abuse by Husband, Court Hears
A woman who tragically took her own life after enduring what prosecutors describe as a 'tsunami' of abuse from her husband had repeatedly warned her GP that he was 'very dangerous' and expressed fears he would 'always find her'. The harrowing details emerged during the trial of Christopher Trybus, 43, from Swindon, Wiltshire, who stands accused of the manslaughter of Tarryn Baird, aged 34, who died by hanging in November 2017.
Allegations of Relentless Abuse and Coercive Control
Prosecutors at Winchester Crown Court allege that Trybus, who ran a profitable software business, carried out a relentless campaign of abuse against his wife. This included extensive and escalating controlling, coercive, and manipulative behaviour, as well as sexual violence involving two counts of rape and other sexual assaults. The court heard that Trybus is said to have threatened to reveal private information to Ms Baird's family, monitored her whereabouts, limited her access to finances, and isolated her from loved ones.
Ms Baird, who worked at an optician's, left a poignant note reading: 'To my family, I am so sorry but I just couldn't take it any more.' Trybus denies all charges, including manslaughter, controlling and coercive behaviour, and rape, insisting that Ms Baird fabricated allegations due to mental health problems and a desire for attention.
Medical Records Reveal Disturbing Injuries and Fears
Tom Little KC, prosecuting, presented notes from Ms Baird's GP, Dr Tessa Jones, which detailed physical injuries observed on multiple occasions between January and July 2016. Ms Baird initially attributed these injuries to fainting or falling while exercising at home. However, Dr Jones recorded in late 2016 that Ms Baird was 'determined to get out of [the] relationship, aware he's very dangerous'.
In a particularly distressing entry from January 2017, Ms Baird reported that Trybus had put a rope around her neck and tightened it. She expressed to her doctor that she was 'aware of [the] dangers of staying, but feels [the] dangers of leaving are greater'. The following month, she revealed she had changed the locks on her house but still felt unable to leave, fearing he would 'always find her'.
Defence Claims Allegations Were Fabricated for Attention
Defending Trybus, Katy Thorne KC told the jury that Ms Baird presented a 'facade' to health professionals and was 'addicted to the attention' she received from making allegations. Ms Thorne emphasised that Trybus 'loved and cherished' his wife and denied any abusive behaviour. She argued that Ms Baird's mental health issues led her to make demonstrably false claims, such as reporting injuries when Trybus was out of the country.
Regarding the sexual assault charges, Ms Thorne stated that the couple had a consensual marital sex life that included practices like bondage and rough sex. She suggested that injuries, such as one on Ms Baird's neck, were caused by a 'collar' worn during sex and that an audio recording depicted consensual 'kinky bondage type sex'. Ms Thorne also questioned the reliability of Ms Baird's claims about being financially controlled or isolated, asserting the opposite was true.
Support Services and Tragic Outcome
The court heard that Ms Baird sought help from various sources, including a counsellor, Julie Chivers, from March 2016. In September 2016, she told Ms Chivers that Trybus had tried to strangle her, leading to a police report. Ms Baird stopped seeing the counsellor after this. In September 2017, she confided in a Swindon Women's Aid worker, saying 'she can't believe she's still alive' and detailing attempts by Trybus to drown her and beat her with a metal bar. She died two months later.
Ms Thorne suggested that Ms Baird's suicide might have been a 'cry for help that went tragically wrong', attributing her death to mental health difficulties and withdrawal of services rather than Trybus's actions. The trial continues as the jury deliberates on these conflicting accounts.
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