Neither of them shared details such as Allisons condition, whatever it was. They would socialise less and less. She wouldnt want to go to social functions and thats what they did. It wasnt a hiding of it, it was simply the way they were, he said.
Mr Byrne said Ms Baden-Clay suffered a miscarriage at the end of 2002.
That did not help her with depression and the ongoing panic attacks. Nevertheless, Allison wanted to have another child and they were both very happy when she fell pregnant (with their second daughter) who was due before Christmas, 2003, he said.
He said Ms Baden-Clays episodes had continued and for the first time in 2003, saw psychiatrist Dr Tom George and was diagnosed with depression, anxiety and transient suicidal thoughts.
Mr Byrne said Ms Baden-Clay continued to see Dr George, often with the accused.
Clearly he had no concept that this was something that was a medical, chemical imbalance. You can understand a miscarriage, or something giving rise to mood swings but he at that stage had not put together that this was a medical condition, he said.
Mr Byrne said there were relapse episodes but Zoloft evened out the effects and helped to stabilise her mood.
It meant she was rather flat but certainly not depressed. Whilst her condition was managed, they still had trouble communicating and understanding, at least from Gerards point of view, what this was and how they would get through it, he said.
They decided together they needed further income and they decided on a career in real estate.
He said the pair joined Raine and Horne at Kenmore and their second daughter was born on the 16th December, 2003.
Mr Byrne said the accused would tell the jury he finished work by 5pm, in time for the happy hour to help feed and bathe his children.
He said he opened the Century 21 office after purchasing a franchise.
Being his own boss, if you like, was the best way for him to manage that, he said.
Mr Byrne said in the first year of business, the accuseds business won an award.
Things were going forward from strength to strength but the relationship with Allison was not. If anything, it was deteriorating, he said.
He said the accused would tell the jury he took one of his daughters to meetings, communication was strained and their love life was non-existent.
Allison was suffering, hell tell you, from two things: increased libido and weight gain. Both not unknown side-effects from using the drug Zoloft. From this they maintained the outer image of being a normal couple, nothing wrong between them
despite that scenario he will tell you Allison started to desperately want another child, he said.
He again will tell you that he didnt think that was a good idea because of the way things were between them. She wanted, hell say, to give her a son. There were no male Baden-Clays in the family and she wanted to do that.
He didnt go on, he didnt accept that, Allison became more depressed and Gerard will tell you that in that context and in that background, he had an affair with a person called Michelle Hammond.
Mr Byrne said the accused would tell the jury he was ashamed of himself and got out of it and agreed to try for another child with his wife.
He said his wife was excited about the pregnancy and things were looking up.
Mr Byrne said that during the third trimester, Ms Baden-Clay became anxious and she went back to see Dr George.
He said the couples third child, a girl, was born on September 15, 2006.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...-allison-in-2012/story-fnihsrf2-1226966924597
