Coffee murder trial hears of suicide bids

In the months before Jessica Kumala Wongso allegedly poisoned her friend with a cyanide-laced iced coffee in Jakarta, she made numerous attempts to take her own life in Australia.

According to information collected by Australian Federal Police (AFP) and read out to a Jakarta court on Thursday, Wongso made a stream of such attempts while living in Sydney last year.

Forensic psychiatrist Dr Natalia Widiasih said there had been an "escalation" of the 27-year-old's behaviour.

"From January 2015 on 28th, it was only a threat. She threatened to kill herself. She called (her boyfriend in Australia) Patrick." She was taken to Concord Hospital and released the next day.

Months later on August 22, Wongso crashed into a nursing home while under the influence, Dr Widiasih said.

After breaking up with her boyfriend in October, the court heard she made several attempts to kill herself by various methods.

On November 22, following another attempt, the court heard a suicide note penned by Wongso was found.

"I'm sorry that you have to discover my body, I hope it won't traumatise you too much," it read.

In the letter Wongso allegedly wrote that she tried to kill herself after five police searched her home.

"Jessica felt like she was losing support from Patrick, who promised to help her, and Jessica felt that she didn't have support from the family," Dr Widiasih told the court.

No further details have been revealed in court as yet about Wongso's boyfriend Patrick, but prosecutors allege when Wongso broke it off she sought to kill her friend Wayan Mirna Salihin, also 27, with whom she studied design in Sydney in a bid to "avenge her pain".

Mirna, the court has previously heard, had not been supportive of Wongso's relationship with Patrick.

Just weeks after her suicide attempt Wongso travelled to Jakarta and met up with Mirna at Olivier Restaurant in the Grand Indonesia mall on January 6.

She arrived well before her friend and ordered Mirna's favourite drink, an iced Vietnamese coffee.

It was during this time prosecutors allege Wongso added the cyanide to the coffee.

A few minutes after drinking it, Mirna collapsed and foamed at the mouth.

The trial continues.

* For support and information about suicide prevention, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.