Madam Amutha Valli Krishnan was back in the witness box on Thursday morring - with her maid sitting next to her - when hearing into the much publicised exorcism trial entered its fourth day.

The maid was seen calming her down. As her lawyer, Mr RS Bajwa, took her through parts of her affidavit, she could not contain her emotions and started sobbing - in a repeat of Wednesday when she took the stand.

Her maid also cried with her.

When Mr Bajwa narrated the scene in the room where the plaintiff had alleged she was pinnned down by two men as the two priests carried out the exorcism rites, Madam Valli burst out: 'Don't strangle me, don't strangle me. Leave me alone.'

She also demonstrated to Justice Lee Seiu Kin how she was held down to the floor by the two men.

She started bawling and hitting her own forehead when Mr Bajwa read out her account on Father Simon Tan's insistence in wanting to hear her urinate when she went to the toilet after the alleged exorcism.

Mid-way through reading her affidavit, Mr Bajwa had to remind her to compose herself as she repeatedly broke down and buried her face in her hands.

Madam Valli, 51, is suing the Redemptorist Order of Catholic priests who run the Novena Church in Thomson road, two priests and several church-goers for damages for the trauma she suffered after the alleged exorcism on Aug 10,2004, which left her unable to work.

Earlier on Thursday morning, the lawyers for both sides and the two priests, Father Simon and Father Jacob Ong, met behind closed-door chambers for a discussion before hearing resumed.

When hearing began, Senior Counsel Jimmy Yim, who is acting for Father Jacob, applied to the court to allow psychiatrist Dr Ken Ung Eng Khean of Adam Road Medical Centre to sit in as an observer during Madam Valli's testimony.

Opposing the request, the plaintiff's lawyer Mr Bajwa said Dr Ung will be impartial when he takes the stand. Justice Lee disallowed Mr Yim's application and Dr Ung had to leave the courtroom.

Before proceeding to cross-examine Madam Valli, Mr Tito Isaac, for the Redemptorist Order and Father Simon, sought to put her at ease.

'I am not going to hurt you. This is a temple of justice. There's nothing to worry about,' he assured her.

Asked to give the dates of birth of her two children, son Jairajkumar Jayabal, 28, and daughter Subashini Jeyabal, 22, Madam Valli kept stating Aug 10, 2004 - the date of the alleged forced exorcism on her in Novena Church.

Earlier, before Madam Valli took the stand, her daughter, Ms Subashini Jeyabel was overheard telling her mother to 'be calm' and 'not to look at anyone in the courtroom besides the lawyer'. Looking frail, Madam Valli rested her head on her walking stick or her daughter's shoulders.

Her family and maid arrived in court at about 9.15am, avoiding the media glare outside.

About 70 people packed the public gallery of Court 4D on Thursday morning, some of them turning up as early as 7.30a.m.