A woman accused of fatally stabbing her husband in front of their children was suffering from a 'toxic' combination of alcoholic dependency and delusional thoughts that the victim was having multiple affairs, a court heard.
Kumarathas Rajasingam, 57, died in hospital on March 17, last year, after being stabbed by his wife of 30 years at their Wymondham home the previous day.
Jeyamalar Kumarathas, 55, of Burdock Close, Wymondham, has denied murder but admitted manslaughter.
The defendant has not given evidence herself during the trial, at Norwich Crown Court, but consultant forensic psychiatrist Lisa Wootton, who gave evidence for the defence, said in her opinion Kumarathas at the time of the stabbing was suffering from alcohol dependency, as well as delusional thoughts about her husband having affairs with multiple women.
She said she had gone to see Kumarathas in prison and spent about two hours with her, where they talked about her family situation and her health.
Dr Wootton said: "She had a toxic combination where she was drinking but also believes her husband is having lots of affairs."
She said both these conditions would have come into play and in her opinion Kumarathas was suffering from an abnormality of the mind at the time of the stabbing.
She said Kumarathas was suffering from morbid or pathological jealously about her husband.
"In my opinion she stabbed him because she believed he was having these affairs."
In cross-examination by Christopher Paxton QC, the doctor agreed Kumarathas had given different accounts to various doctors including saying the argument between them had been over money.
Dr Wootton also agreed that alcohol was a big factor in the killing.
She said "I think the alcohol was a big part of the whole picture. There is no doubt she has an alcohol disorder and she was drinking that night."
However she said this was combined with the pathological jealousy over her husband.
She also said that money aspect was bound up with her delusional beliefs about her husband giving money to women he was having affairs with,
The trial continues
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