Two sons yesterday gave further evidence of tensions in the Mulder family at the murder trial at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin.
Anton Mulder (46), Maelduin, Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, but originally from Durban, South Africa, denies murdering his Irish-born wife Colleen Suzanne Mulder (41), on the morning of December 17th, 2004.
The mother of six was strangled in her bed.
Their son Clinton Mulder, told defence counsel Roderick O'Hanlon SC, in cross-examination, that his mother never hit his father. "She was scared of him."
Christopher Mulder, another son, told Mr O'Hanlon he had never seen his father hit his mother, "not personally, with my own eyes", but said he would often lash out at things during arguments.
"He destroyed the whole house."
He said that he had only seen his mother hit his father on one occasion, "when he had her in the corner of the kitchen".
Clinton Mulder told Gerry Clarke SC, prosecuting, that his parents' marriage had been in difficulties for several months before his mother's death.
He said there were a lot of arguments about the custody of the younger children. Ms Mulder had moved back to live with her mother in Bangor, Co Down, in November 2004.
Christopher Mulder said his father became more friendly in the months before his mother's death.
Clinton Mulder agreed that his father's personality had changed. "He was just really nice, which wasn't him."
The trial continues today before Justice Kevin O'Higgins and a jury of 10 men and two women.