Cross-dressing man who 'beat his fiancée to death' had tried to cut down on habit
A British man who allegedly beat his Australian fiancée to death made an effort to cut down his cross-dressing habits in a bid to stop her leaving him, a court has heard.
Roderick Deakin-White, 38, is accused of bludgeoning Amy Parsons, 35, with a metal bar while she was showering at their London flat in April.
Snaresbrook Crown Court heard Deakin-White found cross-dressing "soothing" and had become increasingly concerned that Ms Parsons had struck up a relationship with another man, James Saunders.
Doctor Tim Green, who conducted several medical assessments of Deakin-White following his arrest, said the habit had caused "discomfort and friction" in the couple's relationship.
"He recognised that it was something uncomfortable for her. It was something in which he found great solace and was soothing," Dr Green told the court on Thursday.
"He had been doing his best to reduce the amount he was doing it."
Dr Green said Ms Parsons became increasingly unhappy and had made "ultimatums", causing Deakin-White great distress.
"He'd become so anxious that she was planning to leave him that he read her diary and followed her to see the nature of the relationship (with Mr Saunders)," he said.
The court heard Ms Parsons had made derogatory comments about Deakin-White, telling him Mr Saunders was "more of a man" than he was.
On the evening of the attack, Ms Parsons told him that she would be spending the night with Mr Saunders.
Dr Green said Deakin-White had interpreted this as a termination of their relationship.
"He started feeling very upset and that this was the end. He followed her, pleading with her to not leave him,” he said.
"In an attempt to elicit sympathy, he told her that he would commit suicide, to which she replied, 'I wouldn't even come to your funeral'.
"He lost it and hit her with the bar."
The defence for Deakin-White says he suffered from a loss of control during the attack, caused by a previous diagnosis of autism.
But Dr Green said in his opinion, Deakin-White did not qualify for such a diagnosis.
"He is an 'avoidant dependent', he has a fear of abandonment. He will work very hard to avoid being abandoned, more than most people maybe,” he said.
"He does not qualify for formal diagnosis of ASD. He has a negative, pessimistic view of the world.
"There was nothing significant or grossly strange, he was a little shy but that's not unusual. There was nothing that caused me any great concern."
Deakin-White denies one count of murder.
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