A PSYCHIATRIST told a jury yesterday that in his opinion a farmer's wife was suffering from depression when she stabbed her husband to death.

Professor Alan Gruben was giving evidence at the trial of Jayne Lovegreen, 34, who denies murdering her husband, John.

Earlier, Teesside Crown Court was told by Franz Muller, prosecuting, that Mrs Lovegreen killed her estranged husband in a jealous rage in front of their ten-year-old daughter at his cottage at Baal Hill Farm, Wolsingham, County Durham, on July 6, last year.

The events unfolded after Mrs Lovegreen told her daughter her father was having an affair, the couple rowed and Mr Lovegreen said he would not return their daughter to her.

Giving evidence, Mrs Lovegreen said she had gone to the farm to retrieve her daughter.

Mrs Lovegreen, of Greenfield Farm, High Etherley, near Bishop Auckland, drove off after the stabbing and was arrested near Carlisle.

A police doctor who examined her told the jury that in his opinion she showed no clinical signs to indicate psychiatric disease.

But yesterday, Professor Gruben, head of psychiatry at Newcastle University, who also examined Mrs Lovegreen, said the couple had had a volatile relationship and arguments had often escalated into the damage of property and physical confrontation. They separated in April last year.

He said that by March of last year, Mrs Lovegreen - who took an overdose in 1999 - had developed a "moderate" depressive illness and had been prescribed anti-depressants.

Asked by defence counsel Neil Davey if Mrs Lovegreen, in his opinion, had abnormalities of mind at the time of the killing, Prof Gruben said: "Yes, she was suffering from a depressive illness. It would have substantially impaired her rational judgement and ability to think reasonably."

The trial continues.