Helena Karine Atay, pictured with her two-year-old daughter in 2010 before she died of cancer

A woman accused of murdering her husband was a former winner of 'Mum of the Year' who watched her two year old daughter 'take her last breath' a court heard.

Helena Karine Atay, known as Karine, who allegedly stabbed husband Atakan Atay, 45, to death, was drinking heavily and struggled to deal with loss of the youngster, jurors were told.

Her sister Elaine Love said Atay, 42, did 'everything' to try and help daughter Sophie, who was struck down with cancer in 2010.

The mother, from Birtley, Gateshead, raised money for her to get life saving treatment she needed in the US. She died before the funds could be used to help her.

Mrs Love also told how her sister had told her that Atakan had been violent and abusive towards her, during what she called their 'toxic relationship.'

Mrs Love said when she confronted Atay about her drinking, she told her: 'Elaine, until you have held your child and watched them take their last breath and slept with their cold lifeless body and then bathed and clothed them in the morning, then handed their body over to the undertakers, then please don't judge me.'

Mrs Love told Newcastle Crown Court: 'I was dumbfounded and thought how can I judge anybody.'

Helena Karine Atay, known as Karine, allegedly stabbed husband Atakan Atay, 45, (pictured) to death at their home in Birtley, Gateshead

She went on to tell jurors there was a memory box for Sophie in Atay's 's bedroom, which contained items including Sophie's dummy, a yellow duck she held all the time, 'Sophie's diamond' made from her hair and some of her clothes.

She added that a pair of Sophie's shoes were kept on Atay's bedside table and she also had a picture of Sophie above her bed, and a handprint or footprint.

Mrs Love said it was not long after Sophie died, she nominated Atay for a Mum of the Year award with the local newspaper, which she won.

Mrs Love told the court that Atay had also told her Atakan had been violent and abusive to her sibling during what she called their 'toxic' relationship.

Atay raised money for Sophie (pictured together) to get life saving treatment she needed in the US. She died before the funds could be used to help her

Mrs Love told jurors she had never seen Atakan being physically violent towards Atay but was asked if she was aware from Atay that there had been violence.

She replied: 'Very much so, from the beginning of the relationship.'

Asked if she had seen Atakan verbally abuse her sister, she said: 'Yes often. He would say things like you are lazy, you are good for nothing, you are fat, you're ugly.

'Once I was there and there was an advert for a sofa and there was a sloth and he said 'look Karine it's you, isn't it'.

'I had said that's not very nice Atakan, you should not be like that. Karine said he does it all the time.

'He said but it's true, isn't it Karine.'

Forensic officers enter the couple's home following the stabbing in October 18 last year

Mrs Love also claimed Atakan had made comments to her about Atay and would belittle her.

'He would moan about her, saying she was lazy and didn't do housework,' she said.

'He would belittle her all the time. I didn't like to listen to that because obviously I would not agree with him.'

She added: 'I said they should not be together. I told him it's clear you and Karine are very unhappy and you should split up.

'I told Karine the same.

'I felt it was a toxic relationship and I felt she deserved better than that.'

Mrs Love said she was 'so proud' that the money Atay raised to help her daughter was instead used to help fund five other children to go to the US for life-saving treatment.

Atay denies murdering Atakan at their home on the night of October 18 last year.

She claims he attacked her as she was about to go out to buy wine but can't remember stabbing him.

The trial continues.