Fiona Beal Trial: Depression would have ‘clouded thinking’ of Northampton teacher who killed partner, says psychiatrist

A psychiatrist has told a jury that he believes the moderate depression of a murder-accused teacher would have “clouded” her thinking when she killed her partner.

On May 19, Steven Perian KC - prosecuting - continued his cross examination of psychiatrist Aamir Ehjaz, who stated in his evidence yesterday that he believes former Eastfield Academy teacher, Fiona Beal, 49, suffers with recurrent depressive disorder and she killed her partner because she could see “no other way out.”

Around 12 hours before Beal fatally stabbed Mr Billingham in their shared Moore Street home on November 1 2021, she made a note on her iPhone that drafted out messages to send people after the killing, the court heard.

Mr Perian then referred to “deceptive” text messages sent by Beal in the following days and weeks both on her phone and Mr Billingham’s to pretend that her partner was still alive.

The prosecutor put to the psychiatrist that this demonstrated “clear thinking” and “planning.”

Dr Ehjaz said: “She sometimes started to believe her own lies and at times she would have been aware of what she had done but, other times, less so.”

The court heard that Beal sent Mr Billingham’s mother a text from his phone on December 30, 2021 saying that he felt like a “prisoner” with Beal but he met a woman called Faye and was in Manchester “selling cars and happy.”

“It’s very inventive, isn’t it?” Mr Perian remarked.

“Let’s go to the confession book…” Mr Perian continued. This referred to a blue journal written by Beal that detailed killing Mr Billingham and disposing of his body.

Beal, who was sitting in the dock, displayed clear annoyance rolling her eyes and shaking her head. She previously told the prosecutor not to refer to it as a ‘confession book.’

An extract about the night of the killing read: “I’d planned it mentally so many times before. The knife cut my dressing gown pocket.”

According to Dr Ehjaz, Beal told him that her cannabis use became a “daily occurence” in October 2021. She said it brought her “clarity” and enabled her to be “stronger,” “think more clearly” and “get things done.”

The court heard that Beal’s general practitioner agreed to increase her dose of antidepressants after she said her depression worsened throughout 2021, however, when she went to pick up her prescription it was not the agreed dose.

Dr Ehjaz told jurors that Beal did not challenge the dose because she “did not really see the point” or have the energy to explain the situation to her GP surgery.

He said that, during his examination of Beal last year, she displayed some symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder but he could not be sure whether they manifested before or after she killed Mr Billingham.

Mr Perian put to the expert witness that Beal’s level of planning meant that her ability to form a rational judgement would not have been impaired when she killed her partner.

Dr Ehjaz, disagreed, saying: “I feel that her depression would have likely clouded her thinking and judgement at that time.”

The trial continues.