A WOMAN was driven to bludgeon her mother-in-law to death with a rolling pin by her unkindness, name calling and threats, a court heard.

Rajvinder Kaur, 37, was accused of “changing her story” after admitting killing 56-year-old Baljit Kaur Buttar who had been staying with the family in Southampton for six months.

Jurors at Winchester Crown Court were warned to view Kaur’s “late change of tack” with “at the very least considerable scepticism” as the defendant had made persistent attempts to mislead police, the courts and her even her own psychiatrist.

The murder trial heard that the grandmother suffered multiple head, neck and body injuries in the violent and sustained attack in the bathroom of the family's home in Broadlands Road, Swaythling, on February 25 last year.

Bill Mousley, QC, prosecuting, revealed to jurors that Kaur originally pleaded not guilty to murder in court and a trial date was set in October 2011.

Jurors were told the first trial almost reached the end of the prosecution’s case when “it was indicated on her behalf that she was changing her story and admitting the killing.”

Mr Mousley said the trial was stopped so expert psychiatric opinion could be sought.

But now Kaur admits she killed her mother-in-law- but denies murder, the court was told.

Mr Mousley, said: “She claims that she is not guilty of murder but only of manslaughter because she was provoked into losing her self-control by Baljit Buttar’s general and specific conduct towards her.

“She claims she was unkind to her and would call her names.

“She claims that in the bathroom her mother-in-law was threatening to her.

“Alternatively at the time of the attack it is said she was in an abnormal mental state which may limit her responsibility for the death.”

Mrs Buttar had been staying with the family since August 2010 and had been due to return to India on February 27 – just two days after she died.

Mr Mousley added: “Any explanation which the defendant may now seek to advance should be viewed with, at the very least, considerable scepticism considering her persistent attempts to mislead the police and the court on a previous occasion, as well as her own psychiatrist.

“Faced with the evidence against her, this late change of tack is just another dishonest effort at limiting the damage.”

The trial is expected to last two weeks.

Proceeding