Christopher Trybus, a 44-year-old IT businessman from Swindon, has been found not guilty of rape and manslaughter following one of the most legally unusual trials seen in England and Wales in recent years. The case centred on the death of his wife Tarryn Baird who took her own life in November 2017 at the age of 34. Prosecutors argued that Trybus bore criminal responsibility for her death. After careful consideration the jury at Winchester Crown Court cleared him of every charge including two counts of rape and one count of controlling and coercive behaviour.The case was described as the first of its kind in England and Wales because it sought to hold a person criminally liable for the suicide of a spouse by arguing that sustained abuse had caused the death. That legal framing made the trial significant beyond the individuals involved and it drew considerable attention from legal professionals and domestic abuse campaigners throughout its duration.Trybus had denied all the allegations throughout the proceedings. He told the court that Tarryn had made the accusations as a result of serious mental health difficulties including a probable diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder which he said developed after she witnessed violent carjackings in South Africa where the couple had grown up together. He also presented evidence that he was outside the country when several of the alleged incidents were said to have taken place.Speaking outside court after the verdict Trybus stood alongside his current wife and addressed the press directly. He said the jury had carefully considered the evidence and reached the correct verdict after three separate police investigations conducted over ten years. He described the experience as profoundly difficult and said it had left a deep impact on everyone close to him. He also used the moment to acknowledge that domestic abuse is a serious issue and said victims must always be supported regardless of the outcome of any individual case.Mr Justice Linden thanked the jury after delivering the verdict and acknowledged the weight of what they had been asked to do. He told them the case had been difficult and sad and that the stakes were high for both families involved. He said no one should underestimate the role jurors play in proceedings of this nature.The case raises questions that will continue to be debated in legal circles long after the verdict. Whether a person can be held criminally responsible for the suicide of a partner following a pattern of alleged abuse sits at the edge of existing law and this trial tested that boundary directly. The acquittal does not settle the question for future cases but it does establish that the threshold for such a conviction is extraordinarily high.Trybus said he now intends to focus on moving forward and rebuilding his life with his family.
