A woman allegedly driven to suicide by her husband told a crisis hotline they ‘needed to send someone around’, because she ‘felt like ending it’ only hours before she was found dead, a court heard.
Tarryn Baird, 34, was discovered hanged at her home on November 28, 2017.
Her husband Christopher Trybus, from Swindon, stands accused of manslaughter, coercive or controlling behaviour and two counts of rape.
A series of calls made by Ms Baird to the police non-emergency 101 service the day before her death, and to the NHS 111 advice line on the day she died, were played to the jury at Winchester Crown Court.
They heard how Ms Baird had discussed getting an occupation order – which determines who can live in a family home – on November 27, 2017.
The call handler asked: ‘Are you in a domestic situation?’
Ms Baird replied: ‘Yes.’
The handler added: ‘I will put you through to our contact centre, they will discuss the options with you.’
Tarryn Baird, 37, told a crisis hotline they ‘needed to send someone around’, because she ‘felt like ending it’ only hours before she was found dead in 2017
Christopher Trybus, 43, from Swindon, stands accused of manslaughter, coercive or controlling behaviour and two counts of rape
The following day at 7.45am, she called the 111 line and said: ‘I’m at home now.
‘I’m struggling with suicidal thoughts.’
The call handler asked: ‘How long have you felt this way?
Ms Baird replied: ‘About a year, quite a while.’
The handler asked: ‘Have you ever attempted to take your own life before?’
She responded: ‘Yes.’
The handler asked: ‘Have you planned how you would do it, if you were to do it?’
Ms Baird answered: ‘Yes.’
In a second call, just eight minutes later, a call handler told her: ‘Thank you for sharing your thoughts and giving us the opportunity to help you.
‘It is the first step to recovery.’
Ms Baird replied: ‘I’ll get a quick shower and then I’ll go [to A&E].’
The call handler said: ‘I wish you the best, it’s not going to be an easy journey but we will support you.’
A third call to the NHS helpline then took place at 8am that day.
Speaking of her struggles, Ms Baird said: ‘It’s been ongoing for a while.
‘I know this is wrong, I know I’m a suicide risk.’
Two further calls took place at 8.09am and 8.13am that day.
In a final call to the 111 line at 12:40pm, sounding emotional, Ms Baird told the handler: ‘I rang the 111 service this morning regarding suicidal thoughts.
‘They contacted the Crisis team and they said they can’t help me.
‘The reason for my call is you need to send someone around.’
The handler said: ‘Stay on the line, I can still get that help for you.
‘What is it you felt like doing?’
Ms Baird said: ‘I felt like ending it. I have written a letter to my family.’
The trial has previously heard how software consultant Trybus, 43, had allegedly set up a high-tech programme to track her movements.
A written statement from Diane Wallace, a civilian safeguarding officer who met Ms Baird at her home on May 5, 2017, was read to the court.
Ms Wallace said: ‘She [Ms Baird] saw emails in his inbox. “Tarryn has left home” and “Tarryn has arrived home.”
‘She described him as a psychopath, calm one minute. Completely wild and crazed, the next.’
Dean Barrett, an osteopath who had treated Ms Baird, described six or seven circular bruises on her during one appointment.
He told the court: ‘She had bruising, she said she had a fall. I felt awkward in the situation. She just said “I don’t know”.’
Omran Belhardi, defending, asked if they could have been the result of a cupping treatment – where warm cups are placed on the skin.
‘Could it be that those bruises that you saw were caused by cupping?’ he asked.
Mr Barrett said: ‘It could have been.’
Yet prosecutor Tom Little KC said: ‘Have you ever seen cupping marks of that size?’
The osteopath replied: ‘I’ve not before. Traditional cupping marks are bigger.’
PC Nicola Pearce – who had been called out to previous reports of Ms Baird on a bridge over the M4 – also took the witness stand.
Ms Baird said she had just been for a walk after drinking champagne.
The trial has previously heard how software consultant Trybus, 43, had allegedly set up a high-tech programme to track Ms Baird’s movements
The police officer picked her up and spoke with her for half-an-hour before she insisted she wanted to go home.
PC Pearce said: ‘I specifically said to her, if anything happened, I said to her that she could call 999.
‘But if she felt in danger and could not speak, she could leave the phone so the call handlers could hear what was happening in the background.’
The court heard yesterday how Trybus had threatened to harm Ms Baird’s family if she left him.
He also put a rope around her throat after she refused sex, the jury was told.
Trybus denies all the charges.
He insisted he loved his wife, but her mental health issues meant she lied about his behaviour, Trybus alleged.
For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit www.thecalmzone.net/get-support
