The barrister for a man on trial for allegedly raping his wife has told the jury she has motives to “lie and exaggerate”.

He also accused her of making things up to make him seem like a “homicidal and suicidal lunatic”.

Padraig Dwyer, senior counsel for the accused, spent the afternoon addressing the jurors for a final time.

The alleged victim, whose identity is protected, claims her husband head butted her during a row at their Dublin home on May 2nd 2014.

Mr. Dwyer said there were no witnesses or medical evidence to back this up.

The woman claims her husband refused to accept their marriage was over and made several threats to kill or cause her serious harm.

A few weeks after the alleged assault, she claims he threatened to cut her face off with a knife before raping her.

Mr. Dwyer believes she lied and exaggerated about what happened to secure a conviction that would be to her benefit in terms of the custody of their son.

He said her evidence of what’s alleged to have happened that night lacked detail because she’s not telling the truth.

The trial will continue tomorrow.