A tormented father has said that on their wedding night, his wife nearly suffocated him with a duvet, and forced him to sleep on the sofa....
A tormented father has said that on their wedding night, his
wife nearly suffocated him with a duvet, and forced him to sleep on the
sofa.
He confessed that he set up a spy camera to film his drunken wife beating him up, because he feared police would never believe he was a battered husband.
Neil Tweedy, 45, had secretly endured up to 12 years of physical abuse at the hands of school teacher spouse Helen, including an assault on their own wedding night in which she smothered him with a duvet and forced him to sleep on the sofa.
But for years, Neil believed his hard drinking wife, also 45, would change. And despite temporarily leaving her, he would return to their suburban family home and refused to bring his plight to the attention of the authorities.
But he finally took action after the couple had a child and she continued to be abusive towards him.
Over the summer, he secretly installed a hidden camera at the couple’s £200,000 semi detached in Stretford, Greater Manchester.
During a two-month period, Helen was filmed slapping her husband around the head and swearing at him — once in front of their four-year-old daughter.
Police were called in after Neil, who captured three different incidents, feared his wife’s violent conduct would escalate and handed over the footage.
At Manchester magistrates court, Helen admitted three charges of common assault by beating and was issued with a restraining order banning her from contacting her husband.
The couple had met 16 years ago and appeared to family and friends to be a happy couple.
Prosecuting, Robin Lynch said: “Four years ago, their daughter was born. A couple of months prior to these offences, the complainant installed a camera to record Helen’s behaviour because he didn’t think anyone would believe his story. That recorded three incidents.”
In mitigation, defence lawyer James Street said: “This is a very sad case indeed – she pleaded guilty when she appeared in court for the first time in her life. Really, all of these problems come from a long-term drinking problem which has led to significant mental health issues.”
JP sentenced Tweedy to a 12-month community order with 120 hours’ unpaid work and a restraining order for 12 months.
Punch......
He confessed that he set up a spy camera to film his drunken wife beating him up, because he feared police would never believe he was a battered husband.
Neil Tweedy, 45, had secretly endured up to 12 years of physical abuse at the hands of school teacher spouse Helen, including an assault on their own wedding night in which she smothered him with a duvet and forced him to sleep on the sofa.
But for years, Neil believed his hard drinking wife, also 45, would change. And despite temporarily leaving her, he would return to their suburban family home and refused to bring his plight to the attention of the authorities.
Over the summer, he secretly installed a hidden camera at the couple’s £200,000 semi detached in Stretford, Greater Manchester.
During a two-month period, Helen was filmed slapping her husband around the head and swearing at him — once in front of their four-year-old daughter.
Police were called in after Neil, who captured three different incidents, feared his wife’s violent conduct would escalate and handed over the footage.
At Manchester magistrates court, Helen admitted three charges of common assault by beating and was issued with a restraining order banning her from contacting her husband.
The couple had met 16 years ago and appeared to family and friends to be a happy couple.
Prosecuting, Robin Lynch said: “Four years ago, their daughter was born. A couple of months prior to these offences, the complainant installed a camera to record Helen’s behaviour because he didn’t think anyone would believe his story. That recorded three incidents.”
In mitigation, defence lawyer James Street said: “This is a very sad case indeed – she pleaded guilty when she appeared in court for the first time in her life. Really, all of these problems come from a long-term drinking problem which has led to significant mental health issues.”
JP sentenced Tweedy to a 12-month community order with 120 hours’ unpaid work and a restraining order for 12 months.
Punch......
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