Bargain Hunt star Charles Hanson has been unanimously cleared at of coercive control and assault allegations relating to his wife.
The Antiques Road Trip auctioneer, 46, was cleared at Derby Crown Court in regards to allegations of coercive behaviour, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault by beating made by his wife Rebecca Ludlam.
Rebecca accused him of assaulting her every six months for 10 years. He plead not guilty to the charges.
He was first arrested in June 2023 after claims he put his wife in a headlock when she was pregnant – which he argued was a “loving hug”.
(Image: Derbyshire Telegraph/BPM)
Rebecca gave evidence from behind a screen during the trial and told the court she was left bruised after attacks. She also told the court about an incident in 2012 and said: “I was pregnant.
“I was in my dressing gown, we were having an argument about something. I threw a tiny box which landed about two inches in front of him and he went for me.
“He just ran towards me straight away. I turned around to protect my stomach, my baby, and he got me around the throat. It was tight, with my head back. He was stood behind me. The crook of his elbow was in my throat.”
(Image: PA)
She added: “He was not trying to choke me, he was trying to control me. He was angry. I froze, paralysed with fear, he was shocked at what he had done, there was no explanation, I could not believe what he had done.”
The court also heard claims from Charles who said he was “almost a slave” to his wife who allegedly controlled him and that she left him a “beaten and broken man”.
(Image: BBC Studios)
Charles said: “I just felt almost a slave to her and I had no option, Mr Kemp, but just almost in a way to adopt what she was saying and to appease her. And I tried it over and over.
“And I, in a way, was a coward. I was subservient under her just controlled by her. It was my life and it was awful. My marriage was just falling apart and I would do almost anything to try and save it.
“I know it sounds awful but I was a beaten and broken man. Speaking here now, I think why didn’t I stand up. I just stayed because as a child my family’s belief was you don’t get divorced in life.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
