Jury sent out in Mark Barrott murder trial

Mark Barrott, 55, is strangled Eileen Barrott at the couple’s home on Naburn Fold, Whinmoor, on August 15, 2021.

During a trial that started at Leeds Crown Court last week, Barrott admitted manslaughter, on the grounds of diminished responsibility due to his mental health, but denies murder.

After both the prosecution and defence counsels completed their summing up, Judge Andrew Hatton sent the jury out this morning to begin their deliberations.

At this stage, the judge said only a unanimous verdict would be acceptable and no time limit has been imposed.

The court was told during the trial that Mrs Barrott, 50, had planned to leave her husband on the day that she died, having suffered years of controlling behaviour at his hands.

After she tried to leave, they became entangled in a scuffle and Mr Barrott hit his wife to the head with hammer, before the pair grabbed each other’s throats.

Barrott told the jury that he believed there was "a demon" inside his wife at the time.

He strangled her until she stopped breathing, but says he had no intention of killing his wife and said he did not even know she was dead.

He was arrested days later after fleeing to Scotland.

Two psychiatrists gave evidence during the trial and agreed that Mr Barrott suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder and a depressive disorder, but with differing views on how much it would have affected his behaviour that day.