As I write this piece, Court 6 at the Royal Courts of Justice will be filling up, and quickly.

The appeal concerns the appeal of Sally Challen, imprisoned for life in 2011, for bludgeoning her husband to death with a hammer - whilst eating the breakfast she had prepared for him.

What seems to be agreed by both prosecution and defence is that during their 31-year marriage, Mrs Challen was subject to mental torture by her husband, described as "coercive control".

Her husband would reportedly tell her what to eat, wear, where she could go and who she could socialise with.

He would refer to her publicly as thunder thighs. There were multiple affairs, and when Mrs Challen challenged him, he would refer to her as deranged or unwell – classic behaviour often referred to as "gaslighting".

There were also reports of physical abuse, one serious sexual assault and financially controlling behaviour.

On the day Richard Challen was killed, it was his wife’s understanding they were about to reconcile following a short separation.

This reconciliation was dependent on her agreement to a financial arrangement – which only benefitted him.

Moments before the hammer attack, Mrs Challen found evidence of an affair.

Then was the stark realisation that she would consent to the financial arrangement, following which he was going to divorce her. She had been misled again.

The appeal will turn on whether "coercive control" can lead to establishment of "diminished responsibility" – in other words a mental illness.

If so, this could reduce a sentence of murder to manslaughter.

"Coercive control" was only officially established as a form of domestic abuse in 2005 – after Mrs Challen’s conviction – so the case is a very interesting one indeed.

I wouldn’t mind guessing that Mrs Challen will be successful in her appeal, and that she will be released.

Recognised forms of domestic abuse have evolved over time, and the law must keep up with that.

I can highly recommend the book Under the Wig by William Clegg QC.

Written with the layperson in mind, it recounts the numerous high-profile cases the author has been involved in (including war crimes) and how he defended them.

The author is from Essex and was schooled in Southend. I couldn’t put it down.

I was interested to read everyone’s comments following my piece on Jack Shepherd. Some of you called for me to be unmasked. Somewhat bemusing, as I am one of about a 1,000 criminal lawyers working in East Anglia and not one of particular importance or notoriety.

I will keep my anonymity, for now.