Man accused over wife's suicide 'loved her dearly'

A man accused of causing his wife's suicide has told a jury he loved her "very much".

Christopher Trybus, 43, said he had "absolutely not" ever been "viciously violent" or abusive towards Tarryn Baird, 34.

Baird took her life at their home in Swindon, Wiltshire, in 2017. Trybus is on trial at Winchester Crown Court, charged with manslaughter, two counts of rape, and controlling and coercive behaviour.

Trybus, a software consultant, denies all of the charges. The trial continues.

Trybus is alleged to have controlled Baird by using threatening violence towards her, sexually assaulting her and monitoring her whereabouts.

He is also accused of limiting her access to finances, threatening to reveal private information to her family and isolating her from her family.

Defence barrister, Katy Thorne KC, claimed Trybus had been unaware of abuse allegations his wife had been making against him before her death.

When asked by Thorne if he had ever been "viciously violent" towards her, raped her or attempted to control her, he told the court: "No, absolutely not."

When asked if he loved her, he replied: "Yes very much."

Describing how he felt about Baird's death, he said: "At the time, still, extremely sad, devastated, you can't even describe it, it's nothing you can prepare for.

"It's absolutely heartbreaking and devastating, the worst thing I have ever had to deal with in my life by far."

He told the court: "It's such a conflict for me, you know, I loved her so much and we had a happy marriage. I would never dream she would say these things.

"It's landed me in all of this. I can't say I am angry, it's such a mix, I struggle to even put it into words.

"I feel bad she was in such a place that she was saying these things – what was going through her mind?"

Thorne earlier told the court Baird had a history of mental health issues and had previously tried to take her life.

She said these issues stemmed from her post-traumatic stress disorder after witnessing two car-jackings including a shooting, in South Africa, where the couple grew up.

The barrister also claimed that people in Trybus' personal life described him as "gentle" and "kind".

She said an audio clip of the couple having sex was not evidence of Trybus abusing Baird.

She said the defendant instead claims the pair were having consensual "kinky sex" and there was no recording of Baird complaining.

Thorne said: "He never abused her, not once, he was never violent to her, he never forced himself on her, he loved her dearly."

Previously, the jury heard how a police officer had supported Baird in January 2017.

Lisa Attree, a Wiltshire Police safeguarding officer, told the court that Baird wanted to leave the relationship but was "fearful of repercussions".

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