An allegedly abusive husband who was stabbed to death by his wife held a knife to her throat 20 years before he died, their daughter has said.
Penelope Jackson, aged 66, stabbed 78-year-old David Jackson three times in the kitchen of their home in Berrow, Somerset, on February 13.
Jackson, who is standing trial for murder, claims her husband was violent towards her and coercively controlling, Somerset Live reports.
Daughter Isabelle Potterton said she had only witnessed her father behave violently towards her mother on three occasions when she was a child, Bristol Crown Court heard.
The occasions followed the death of his son from his first marriage and took place in 1997 or 1998 when they lived on a military base in Germany, she said.
Mrs Potterton, who is now 31, said on one occasion her father got her out of bed and told her to get a mug filled with chocolates - which she had bought the defendant for Mother's Day - out of its hiding place in an airing cupboard.
He then smashed it in front of her, the daughter claimed.
On another occasion Mrs Potterton recalled coming home from school and finding her father pushing her mother, who had a bloody nose, up against a wall.
"After that my mum packed two suitcases and we went and stayed in a hotel that night, she said we were leaving," Mrs Potterton said.
"It was really early in the morning and my mum woke me up and said we are going back home.
"To my understanding it was mum who wanted to go back to being with dad so (they) could work it out."
On the final occasion, Mrs Potterton recalled her father's two daughters from his first marriage, his daughter-in-law, grandson and mother visiting them in Germany.
"We were all having a barbecue in the garden. I can remember mum saying something and everyone jumping up and running into the house."
She said a few moments later, she saw her mother against a door on the top floor of the house with her father holding a knife to her throat.
It took three guests to pull him off her mother, she said.
Mrs Potterton said she was unable to put the memories in order, but she did not see another occasion when her father was violent towards her mother.
Referring to the suicide of Mr Jackson's son, prosecutor Christopher Quinlan QC asked: "Would it be fair to say it had a profound effect on your dad?"
Mrs Potterton replied: "Yes, it broke him."
"The worst time of his life?" Mr Quinlan asked.
"Yes, without a doubt," she responded.
She agreed Mr Jackson had sought counselling to help him cope with his son's death.
Mrs Potterton agreed that her parents seemed to be enjoying a happy retirement together, and had lots of shared interests including cruise holidays and gardening.
Mr Quinlan said: "You've heard your unit, if I can put it like that, described as a very tight one - the three of you against the world. Do you agree?"
"Yes," Mrs Potterton replied.
She said her parents often bickered over small things, with her mother's temper flaring and quickly passing, while her father had a tendency to "sulk".
The witness added that her mother mentioned leaving her father "sporadically" over the years, but never in any depth.
She recalled ending a video link dinner she and her husband had arranged for her mother's birthday on February 13 - the day of the killing - because her parents were arguing over who had forgotten to charge their computer.
"Mum was getting upset and dad was walking out of the room and I just said 'let's leave it there'."
Mrs Potterton said: "I thought it's just another bicker, they will be absolutely fine, I wasn't upset or anything and we ended it there."
She called her mother at 8.08pm to check she was OK.
"(The defendant) said, 'I'm absolutely fine, don't worry, I'll call you in the morning'," Mrs Potterton said.
Her mother fatally stabbed her father just over an hour later.
The jury is due to retire to consider its verdict later this week.