A woman accused of killing her former partner was trying to protect her family from an "exorcist, demonologist and a ghost hunter", a NSW court has heard.
The 41-year-old alleged victim from the Sydney suburb of St Mary's, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found dead in October 2014 at Wiseman Ferry on NSW central coast.
In opening remarks in the NSW Supreme Court on Monday, Crown prosecutors said an autopsy indicated the man had likely been assaulted for several hours before his death, with numerous cuts and bruises and damage to his skull.
The 41-year-old's former partner Raquel Hutchison and her boyfriend Paul Wilkinson are standing trial for his murder.
They have both pleaded not guilty.
Crown prosecutors claim the couple conspired to lure the alleged victim to his home with the intent of killing him.
The court heard that while Ms Hutchison agreed she committed acts that led to the man's death, she says she did not intend to kill him.
The defence is set to argue that Ms Hutchison believed her former partner, the victim, was physically abusing her family members and she was trying to "protect them" and collect evidence of the abuse and report him to police.
Ms Hutchison broke down sobbing in court as evidence was read about the alleged abuse her former partner committed against her family.
The court also heard the alleged murder victim was an "exorcist, demonologist and a ghost hunter" in his spare time and was a prominent member of the group S.I.N Australia, which is dedicated to investigating "paranormal activity".
