Fiona Beal Trial: Northampton teacher experienced ‘disturbing memories she could not place’ whilst in prison for stabbing partner

A court has heard that a former Eastfield Academy teacher, who is on trial for her partner’s murder, experienced “nightmares and disturbing memories she could not place” whilst remanded in custody.

Forensic psychiatrist, Dr Frank Farnham, assessed Fiona Beal on August 10, 2022 - around five months after she was arrested on suspicion of murdering her partner Nicholas Billingham and burying his body in the rear garden of their Moore Street home.

“She was generally open and not evasive,” Dr Farnham told jurors at Northampton Crown Court on Wednesday, June 7.

The expert described the defendant as feeling low, experiencing “nightmares and disturbing memories that she could not place” and wanting to isolate herself from others. Beal did not tell him the nature of the memories, Dr Farnham said.

Dr Farnham told the court that it is “reasonable” to conclude that Beal was experiencing a “depressive episode from a mild to a moderate degree” when she fatally stabbed Mr Billingham on November 1, 2021..

He added that, when he assessed Beal, she had symptoms compatible with that of post traumatic stress disorder but it is “not clear” if these symptoms developed before or as a result of the killing.

The 49-year-old denies murder due to diminished responsibility and loss of control resulting from a “coercive” relationship with Mr Billingham that left her feeling “broken.”

She was arrested in Cumbria in March 2022 after she attempted to take her own life and police uncovered journals that confessed to the killing and disposal of Mr Billingham’s body.

Referring to the journals, Dr Farnham said Beal’s “anger” about Mr Billingham controlling her could be a “possible motivation” for the killing and, if this arose from wanting revenge, then the loss of control defence would not apply.

Dr Farnham told jurors that, if Beal was telling the truth about being in an “abusive” relationship then Mr Billingham’s behaviour may have aggravated her depression and led to a “chronic traumatic reaction.”

He said that Beal would have “likely” understood the nature of her conduct and stabbing Mr Billingham with a knife or chisel would lead to death of grievous bodily harm.

Beal, when she previously gave evidence, claimed she could not recall details of the stabbing.

The court heard from Dr Farnham that Beal’s memory loss could possibly be a result of ‘dissociative amnesia.’

Explaining this to the jury, the expert witness said that not being able to recall parts of a long car journey is one example of ‘mild dissociation’. Another example he gave was the feeling of “time standing still” at the scene of a collision.

Dr Farnham, however, added that Beal may just be “unwilling” to talk about the killing because of “shame” or “attempting to avoid full responsibility.”

“Ultimately, the truthfulness of her account is for the jury to decide,” Dr Farnham stated.

Beal told Dr Farnham that she smoked cannabis “almost every day” about a month before the killing, then drank and smoked “heavily” between the time of the killing and travelling to Cumbria in March 2022.

In the forensic psychiatrist’s view, this amounted to “harmful use” and may have “exacerbated” Beal’s depressive symptoms. However, he found no evidence of alcohol or cannabis dependency.

Beal told Dr Farnham that she comes from a “traditional family,” with her father Alan Beal - now 80 and retired - working long hours seven days a week to support their family butcher business with the assistance of her mother, Julia Beal, now 78, who also worked as a receptionist.

Beal said her parents “bickered occasionally” but there was no domestic violence or abuse in her childhood. She also has two older sisters.

The court heard that Beal had problems with bed-wetting from the age of nine that continued into her adulthood. Beal also said she first suffered with the symptoms of depression at 16 but her condition deteriorated when she attended Luton University.

“She stated she never fully recovered from the depression but she is able to cope better with medication,” Dr Farnham said.

The trial will continue on Monday, June 12.