Husband cleared of manslaughter in wife's death after five-week trial
Husband cleared of manslaughter in wife's death after five-week trial
A jury found Christopher Trybus not guilty of manslaughter, coercive or controlling behaviour, and two counts of rape in the case surrounding his wife’s 2017 death.
A man has been cleared of manslaughter after his wife took her own life. Christopher Trybus, aged 44, was acquitted of manslaughter, coercive or controlling behaviour and two counts of rape. The five-week trial concluded with a jury of seven women and five men returning not guilty verdicts on all charges after about 40 hours of deliberations. Trybus maintained that he was not abusive and suggested his wife had lied to gain attention from health professionals. He said he traveled for work and was abroad on many of the days alleged in the case.
Tarryn Baird, who was 34 when she died in November 2017, had reported multiple incidents of violence to a domestic abuse charity prior to her death. Her mother described Baird as the life of the party and said she had become distant in the final years of their marriage, which began in 2009 in South Africa before the couple moved to the UK and settled in Swindon. The judge told the court the case involved sensitive allegations, and the jury had to weigh complex testimony. Family statements described Baird as kind-hearted and generous, with her loved ones seeking support following her death.
