The daughter of the woman who sued the Novena Church unsuccessfully for what she said was an botched exorcism seven years ago was in court on Tuesday for charges of slapping her father and kicking her mother.

Subashini Jeyabal, 28, is also alleged to have placed a knife at her mother's neck and telling her in Tamil: "I will kill you. I will cut you." The educational therapist was charged in July and the matter is currently in the pre-trial conference stage.

The Straits Times understands that she is asserting that her mother, Ms Amutha Valli Krishnan, is delusional and the offences never occurred. The charges state that they had been committed in the family's Ang Mo Kio flat on the morning of June 29.

Ms Amutha Valli, 57, had accused her daughter of having an affair with men at a pub and stealing money from the home.

Investigations indicate that a dispute erupted and Subashini is said to have threatened her mother with the knife. A family friend intervened and the daughter then left the house. No one was hurt. The next pre-trial conference is on Oct 29.