Hypnotist accused of murdering husband 'showed signs of borderline personality disorder', court told

• Sam Blackledge has been following the case at Exeter Crown Court.

A hypnotist accused of murdering her husband showed signs of borderline personality disorder, severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, a court has heard.

Christine Rawle, 70, is on trial for allegedly stabbing her husband, Ian, to death at their home in north Devon.

Forensic psychologist Elaine Deighton assessed Mrs Rawle and gave evidence to jurors on Thursday.

'Crashing down to earth'

Ms Deighton said Mrs Rawle had previously threatened suicide and self-harm, and showed traits of a borderline or dependant personality.

"She said when she is under stress, things around her don't seem real," she said.

"She likes to let others make decisions for her. She worries about being left alone to care for herself, and finds it very hard to disagree with people that she depends upon."

Ms Deighton said there is a strong connection between borderline personality traits and violence against a partner.

"Those with borderline presentation will have an anxious preoccupied attachment style," she said.

"They may experience very intense relationships, they might get into relationships quite quickly, fall very deeply in love and in a very intense way.

"They will idolise that person, put them on a pedestal and see them as a perfect being, only to realise that as humans we are not that perfect, and when people don't meet expectations they come crashing down to earth."

'She became tearful and distressed'

Ms Deighton agreed that these personality traits may have contributed to Mrs Rawle's "volatile relationship" with her husband.

She said Mrs Rawle attributed her PTSD to "fear of her husband", and she told the psychologist she believed her husband "could kill her and had threatened to do so."

"She became quite tearful and distressed when we were talking about Mr Rawle," Ms Deighton said.

"It's quite common for people that have committed an offence to be very distressed when talking about the victim.

"It's very common for them to become distressed when talking about the circumstances leading up to the event and the event itself."

The court also heard there was evidence of Mrs Rawle suffering panic attacks, flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance and sleep disturbance.

Christine Rawle denies murder. The trial continues.