The sons of a woman jailed for life for killing her husband have claimed she was 'bullied and humiliated' by him for 40 years, ahead of her murder conviction appeal this month.
Sally Challen struck her husband Richard, 61, over the head with a hammer at the couple's £1million Surrey home in 2010.
The next day she wrapped his body in a curtain and drove to notorious suicide spot Beachy Head where it took a chaplain two hours to talk her out of jumping.
She was convicted of his murder and sentenced to 22 years in prison, which was later reduced to 18.
But on February 27 the now 64-year-old will make legal history when her case goes before the Court of Appeal in a bid to get her conviction overturned.
She could walk free if the judge decides she should have been convicted of the lesser charge of manslaughter.
Her sons David, 31, and James, 35, insist their father's 'lifelong campaign of fear and psychological abuse' was the reason she killed him - and wanted to kill herself.
Sally Challen struck her husband Richard, 61 (pictured together) over the head with a hammer and killed him at the couple's £1million Surrey home in 2010
Her sons David (pictured centre with family outside London's High Court) and James insist their father's 'lifelong campaign of fear and psychological abuse' was the reason she killed him - and wanted to kill herself
In a joint statement, they told The Observer today: 'The jury heard our mother being painted as a person 'consumed by jealousy', who having suspected our father of cheating on her, counted his Viagra pills and took his life because she found herself eaten up with jealousy at his friendships with other women.
'He bullied and humiliated her, isolated her from her friends and family, controlled who she could socialise with, controlled her money, restricted her movement and created a culture of fear and dependency.
Challen (pictured) was convicted of his murder and sentenced to 22 years in prison, which was later reduced to 18
'Our mother's actions were not led by the emotions of jealousy nor rage, but stemmed from the lifelong campaign of fear and psychological abuse waged by our father
