A JURY has heard that a mother-of-three alleged to have been killed by her partner may have suffered her devastating head injuries in a fall.

One doctor said the cause of the bleeding on the brain of 48-year-old Carol Chambers was "more likely" to have been a fall than an assault.

Another expert told the Teesside Crown Court jury that he could not be sure what was responsible for the fatal subdural haematoma last summer.

Ms Chambers died as a result of a "blunt" head injury which caused bleeding on the brain, pathologist, Dr Nigel Cooper, concluded.

He said the injury was the consequence of an impact or impacts to Ms Chambers head, but he admitted he could not be sure how they happened.

Consultant neuropathologist, Dr Daniel Du Plessis, said yesterday that the pattern of injuries was consistent with an "accelerated fall".

Dr Du Plessis told the jury of nine women and three men that "a very, very extreme level of force" would have been needed to cause the damage.

Ms Chambers was taken by ambulance from her partners home in Simpson Road, West Auckland, County Durham, on the evening of July 26.

She was in a coma when medics were called to the house, and her brain injury was found to be inoperable when they arrived at hospital.

Two days later, after failing to regain consciousness, her life-support machine was switched off, and her partner, John Bickford, was arrested.

Mr Bickford is alleged to have assaulted Ms Chambers in the morning or afternoon of July 26, and caused the head injuries which led to her death.

The 60-year-old denies a charge of manslaughter, and claims Ms Chambers could have banged her head in a fall after drinking that day.

The jury has heard that Mr Bickford had a history of violence against his long-term partner, and she complained of being hit the day she took ill.

Days before the alleged attack, Ms Chambers had returned from a holiday in Australia, where she had a relationship with family friend Martin Simmons.

In text messages sent to a friend two days earlier, she wrote: "Home. Wish I wasnt. Heard from Marty. Got flogged off John", the jury was told.

The court has also heard that Mr Bickford was charged with assault and barred from his local workingmens club for attacking Ms Chambers in 2006.

Mr Bickford's defence case is expected to start when the trial continues today.