Two consultant psychiatrists told a jury on Thursday a woman who stabbed to death her partner was at risk of being killed herself if the toxic relationship had continued.
Dr Christine Kennedy told the Coleraine Crown Court jury that, as he had twice strangled Julie Ann McIlwaine, “red flags” would have been raised about James Crossley’s behaviour.
“Compression of the airway is a red flag,” she told defence KC Eilish McDermott.
“It’s very dangerous not only because in the moment the person can lose their life but because it says something about the individual doing it.”
“A red flag for what,” Ms McDermott asked and Dr Kennedy told her “for future homicide.”
Later Dr Jeremy Kenney-Herbert confirmed to the jury he had put in his report that if McIlwaine had stayed with Crossley “she would have been at risk of further psychological abuse, further serious violence and death at some point.”
Junior defence counsel JonPaul Shields asked him if he still held that view and the consultant agreed “Yes I think there was the potential for that outcome.”
McIlwaine, from Hazel Close in the Lagmore area of west Belfast, denies the murder of Mr Crossley on 2 March 2022.
The 38-year-old victim sustained fatal stab wounds at McIlwaine’s former home in Filbert Drive in Dunmurry.
The jury have heard how McIlwaine and Crossley first began their relationship in January 2020 but that between then and the fatal stabbing on 1 March 2022, there had been periods of separation with incidents of domestic violence, coercive control and verbal abuse.
The trial continues.