With Chris Trybus’ whole life on the line, accused of having caused the death of his wife through a sickening campaign of abuse, there was one woman in particular to whom he looked to save him – and it wasn’t his KC.
Because, incredibly, while the case put together by two different police forces was mounting against him and he potentially faced years in jail, the wealthy IT expert had married again – to a woman who would become his staunchest supporter.
The Porsche-driving, £300,000-a-year IT consultant was on Wednesday dramatically cleared of all charges in relation to his wife, including manslaughter, coercive behaviour and two counts of rape.
Now the Daily Mail can reveal how Trybus had found time while trying to clear his name to meet, woo and, in August 2024, marry glamorous, blonde, divorced, single mother Beata Wheelhouse (née Hefczyc).
And while that eminent KC, Katy Thorne, was defending him in the dock, it was his new bride who mounted a robust defence out of it.
Posting as ‘Bea Trybus, Chris’s wife’ on the eve of the trial, she wrote: ‘Christopher Trybus has been falsely accused of serious offences. As his family, we are devastated but we are determined to fight for the truth.
‘Chris is innocent and deserves a fair and unbiased hearing.
‘In cases involving allegations such as these, men often face a deep societal presumption of guilt, a prejudice that overshadows the principle of fairness and due process.’
Christopher Trybus pictured arriving at Winchester Crown Court alongside his second wife Beata Wheelhouse
Tarryn Baird killed herself more than seven years ago and was found at her home in Swindon
Mrs Trybus, 39, stated that he had been ‘falsely accused’ and that the couple were ‘devastated’ but ‘determined to fight for the truth’, in her statement issued as the eight-week trial opened in February.
And she cited her husband’s ‘quiet kindness and integrity’.
Bea described Chris Trybus as a ‘loving husband and stepfather’ to her two children, whose world was ‘turned upside down’.
She added: ‘Those who know him described him as kind, hardworking, and deeply devoted to his family.
‘He has found himself in an unimaginable situation following the tragic passing of his wife.
‘In the midst of grieving, Chris has also had to face false accusations that have turned his world upside down.’
The mother-of-two – who seems to have begun dating him in early 2020 around the time of her divorce – then followed this up with a dutiful display around Winchester Crown Court.
There, despite not featuring in the case as a witness, she would become recognisable to all as Trybus’ closest supporter.
The second Mrs Trybus did not miss a single day of the long and arduous case, in which her husband was accused of being responsible for Tarryn Baird’s suicide and of coercive and controlling behaviour towards her and two counts of rape.
He was finally cleared of all counts on Wednesday.
Always dressed smartly in either a trouser suit or a sombre skirt and jacket, she accompanied Trybus to court every morning.
Once up the courtroom steps she would either head to the public gallery to listen to the evidence or just as often peel off, choosing not to listen to much of the evidence but simply to wait.
Instead, on these occasions, she would patiently wait outside Court 4 where her husband’s fate was being decided.
During each lunch break the couple would leave the court buildings and wander down to the centre of the historic Wessex town to buy sandwiches at one of the many cafes on the pedestrian High Street.
They would then return to the court and sit together until the proceeding restarted.
Sometimes they shared a public kiss.
Trybus accused of being responsible for Tarryn Baird’s death because he subjected her to ‘extensive’ acts of manipulative behaviour and sexual violence
Trybus and his wife speaking after he was found not guilty of the manslaughter of his first wife
Then, at the end of each day’s hearing, the couple descended the court steps together, drove home and then returned the next day.
It is not clear how long after first wife Tarry Baird’s death that Trybus met the former Miss Hefczyc.
However, what is clear is that she had left her first husband and was living with their two children in Swindon.
Chris Trybus and Bea Hefczyc are thought to have met in 2020 and married in August 2024 before moving to a quaint village just outside the town.
Her open Facebook charts their relationship over six years and shows many pictures of their developing relationship.
In early 2020, she posted about her divorce from first husband: ‘Finally! The papers came through. I’m free!’
And four months later she posted pictures of Trybus with her and her children, saying: ‘My World!
‘We love you Chris x.’
In the years that followed her posts also featured them attending Reading Festival, boating on the Solent and taking her children around tourist sights such as Buckingham Palace and London’s Chinatown.
They also enjoyed a city break in Barcelona, a family trip to South Africa and a jaunt to her native Poland.
Another post shows them kissing and is captioned: ‘With you every moment is a fairytale’ with heart emojis.
Another again touts his qualities as a stepfather and says: ‘love you to the moon and back’.
They got a dog, a spaniel, which they named Snoopy.
Trybus (pictured) was charged with manslaughter, controlling and coercive behaviour and two counts of rape in relation to Ms Baird
In August 2024 she shared pictures of their wedding which she described as the ‘best day ever’.
She also posted a Father’s Day tribute to her second husband calling him ‘the best stepdad around’ – and similarly pledged her love on Valentine’s Day.
Even during the trial her posts have shown them visiting Winchester’s famous cathedral during breaks from court.
In a further post on her trial website, under a heading: ‘Before You Judge’, she urged people to analyse the case themselves before coming to any conclusion.
She wrote: ‘Newspaper articles don’t show the full picture. They don’t show the grief, the private struggles, the truth behind closed doors.
‘They don’t show Chris as a husband, a stepfather, or the countless lives he’s touched with his quiet kindness and integrity.
‘That’s the man we know. That’s the man we’re standing by.’
And under a heading ‘Dedication’ she wrote:
‘In a world where assumptions spread faster than facts, we honour the quiet strength it takes to keep fighting for the truth.’
There is also a link to the mental health charity Mind.
The website ends with the note ‘Thank You’ from Bea and Chris.
It reads: ‘Thank you to everyone who has shown us love, support, and kindness.
‘In the midst of this incredibly difficult battle, your support gives us strength, hop, and the determination to keep going. We are truly grateful for every single person standing with us.
‘Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.
‘Bea and Chris’
