An abusive woman who put her terrified husband through '20 years of physical and mental abuse' by sadistically assaulting, taunting, threatening and humiliating him has been jailed. Sheree Spencer who was sometimes drinking three bottles of wine per day was sentenced to four years in prison after the shocking 'catalogue' of abuse.
Hull Crown Court heard that the heavy-drinking mother-of-three punched, slapped, kicked, bit and ragged her 'trapped' partner around during endless violent attacks on him that left him fearing for his life. She also viciously hit him with a wine bottle which left him with a disfigured 'cauliflower ear' and a chipped elbow, Hull Live reports.
The 45-year-old admitted to coercive and controlling behaviour between January 2016 and June 2021 and three offences of assaulting her husband, causing actual bodily harm, between January and April 2020. The couple who have been together since 2000 share three children and Spencer's violent behaviour came to light after police were alerted because of concerns.
Michele Stuart-Lofthouse, prosecuting, detailed how during one incident, Spencer spat at her husband and grabbed him by the throat which caused him breathing difficulties. Her behaviour got worse as time went on and she pushed and slapped him before later hitting him on the back of the head with a wine glass which required stitches.
The husband handed over 43 images of injuries, 36 video clips and nine mobile phone recordings of abuse to the police. Spencer regularly assaulted and verbally abused her partner and would also damage his property including laptop, phones, clothes and household items.
The vicious mum's 'unpredictable and threatening' behaviour caused her husband to become estranged from his family. A neighbour said how they regularly heard abusive language by Spencer being used towards her husband.
She was heard saying: "You're not a f***ing man. I want you out of my life." In one incident, she damaged a tyre on his car using a kitchen knife and lunged at him with the knife, causing a 2cm cut below his knee.
Her husband told the court in a statement that he suffered 20 years of physical and mental abuse that was damaging and he feared he would never fully recover from it. He felt he had to hide the truth from his friends and family and complied with her demands as she controlled all aspects of his life, including where he slept and what toilet he could use.
He said: "She threatened to make false allegations to me to the police". He felt 'trapped' and he 'feared the consequences of speaking out' and became 'increasingly hardened' to the abuse, including kicking and punching.
Spencer's husband said that after she was arrested the problems continued during Family Court hearings through her claiming she was the real victim and by using character assassination against him. The victim had to defend himself against these allegations as he said: "She continued to exert her control over me".
She was 'unnecessarily obstructive' and it was three months before she would allow the family home to be sold. The terrified husband said his mental health deteriorated and he had 'had to seek help from my GP on several occasions'.
Defence barrister Richard Pratt KC said that there was "little if anything" that could be said in mitigation. He said: "It's a shocking, distressing case. Alcohol played the most significant part in what happened."
The mixture of alcohol and prescription medication caused her to act out in a way that 'appalled' her and said Spencer accepted she had caused great pain and humiliation to her husband. Mr Pratt added: "What happened was dreadful".
The offences were prolonged over a long period of time and ironically Spencer had been working on a project connected with the impact of custodial sentences on families during her job with the Ministry of Justice. She had an 'excellent work record' but had a previous conviction for affray.
Judge Kate Rayfield said that Spencer had a "short temper" and was controlling and coercive to her "vulnerable" husband, who was the victim of her violent outbursts for many years. Two hours of recorded incidents of abuse towards her husband had been put together and it could not be 'overstated how shocking' it was.
The disturbing filmed and recorded incidents revealed 'persistent, nasty physical and emotional abuse' on a regular basis, sometimes even several times in one day. Spencer threatened and assaulted her husband and he 'cowered sometimes on his hands and knees on the floor'.
The ruthless abuser continued to beat him by spitting, punching him, grabbing his hair, slapping him, kicking him, biting him and ragging him around. She also threatened to take his head off, rip his heart out and break his teeth.
Spencer showed 'utter contempt for him' and often "whispered in his face in the most sinister way" as well as shouting orders at him. During the series of abuse, she had sometimes been drinking up to three bottles of wine a day.
Judge Rayfield said: "You have caused him significant psychological harm. There is a history of violence and abuse against the same victim."
Spencer expressed no remorse as she was seen grinning as she left the dock to be taken down to the cells. She was subsequently sentenced to four years in jail and was given an indefinite restraining order.
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