Injuries suffered by a woman accused of murdering her boyfriend were likely to have been caused by her being hit more than once, a doctor told a jury yesterday.

According to the prosecution case against Andrina Tamara Smith, 26, she knifed Edward Allan (Sleepy) Dill, 35, in the neck after he slapped her.

However, Dr. Brenda Davidson, who examined Smith in the aftermath of the incident told the Supreme Court yesterday it was more likely she was punched than slapped.

In her opinion, Smith had also been hit more than once. Eyewitnesses to the aftermath of the incident have testified that Smith claimed to have stabbed her boyfriend because he beat her.

Her grandmother Patricia Francis said she did not like the way Mr. Dill treated Smith, who on many occasions appeared bruised and with swollen eyes after arguments with him.

Smith was arrested in the aftermath of the bloodshed at her home in Cedar Park Road, Devonshire, in the early hours on October 16 2006.

Photographs of her injuries have already been shown to the jury.

Yesterday Dr. Davidson, Senior Medical Officer in the Department of Health, detailed an examination of Smith conducted between 8.45pm and 9.40 pm on the date in question.

She reported that the defendant was "alert, composed and co-operative throughout the examination, but on questioning admitted she felt worried and stressed".

Smith was suffering from injuries including a black and swollen left eye, bleeding into the white of her left eye, a bruised and swollen left cheek, and a tender left jaw.

She had bruising and minor swelling to her right eye, bruising and tenderness to her forehead, a stiff and painful neck and tender areas in her chest and groin.

In answer to questions from Senior Crown Counsel Carrington Mahoney, Dr. Davidson agreed the "blunt trauma" facial injuries suffered by Smith could have been the result of "a hard slap".

She said it was possible a blow to the left side of her face caused the bruising and swelling to her right eye — or this could be the result of a separate blow.

The prosecutor asked if the defendant suffered any injuries to her neck that indicated someone had been trying to strangle or control her. Dr. Davidson said she did not.

However, defence lawyer Charles Richardson put it to her that Smith's injuries were "completely consistent" with someone who had been "beaten up."

Dr. Davidson said it was likely that Smith suffered more than one blow to the face, because of the extent of her injuries.

She agreed with Mr. Richardson that the "blunt force trauma" could have been a punch rather than a hard slap. Smith denies murder, and the case continues.