RICHARD and Sheree Spencer seemed to have the perfect relationship according to outsiders but secret footage revealed otherwise.
In reality, Richard was subjected to years of mental and physical abuse.
Who is Richard Spencer?
Richard Spencer was the victim of physical and mental abuse by his wife Sheree.
He was subjected to brutal attacks for more than 20 years before she was caught through their nanny cams.
The horrors of his abuse were detailed in a Channel 5 documentary My Wife, My Abuser: The Secret Footage.
The documentary aired on Monday, March 18, 2024, at 10 pm but it’s available to stream on My5 until July 27, 2027.
Sheree and Richard met at a club in 2000 and got married nine years later in the Phi Phi Islands in Thailand.
They had three daughters and lived in a seven-bedroom home in a countryside village near York.
The offences took place between 2016 and 2021.
Richard wanted to share his story in a bid to raise awareness about other male victims of domestic abuse.
What did Richard Spencer’s wife Sheree do?
Sheree abused her husband Richard for more than two decades.
She would make her husband lie to their families about how he got the injuries.
When authorities first got involved and began investigating the abusive relationship, Richard gave over 43 images of bruises inflicted on him by his wife to the police.
During one of the assaults, he was spat at and grabbed by the throat.
While in another attack, he was struck with a wine bottle which caused permanent injuries to his ear and elbow.
In court, the judge described the relationship as “the worst case of coercive and controlling behaviour I have seen”.
PC Adele Jenkinson of Humberside Police said: “I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge Mr Spencer’s strength, courage and patience throughout the criminal investigation and hope that this custodial sentence gives him, his friends and family some closure so that they can move forward and look towards a happier future.
“Sheree Spencer is an abusive and violent woman who subjected her husband to years of abuse.
“The offences were committed over a prolonged period of time and were regular, with several being carried out in a single day.
“I hope this outcome demonstrates to anyone affected by domestic abuse and violence that, no matter who you are, we will listen, support and take positive action to deliver justice.”
Spencer was jailed for four years at Hull Crown Court in March 2023.
She was transferred out of high-security HMP New Hall, West Yorks, to Askham Grange open prison near York in the following July.
HOW YOU CAN GET HELP:
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
Who is Richard Spencer dating now?
Richard is in the process of rebuilding his life.
He said: “I have become resigned to the fact that I will never fully recover from her abuse and that it will have a permanent damaging impact on mine and my family’s life.
“Sheree’s abuse towards me evolved and escalated over time, she used repeated acts of physical assault, threats, verbal abuse, and humiliation to punish and exercise control over me.
“The abuse was hidden from the outside world, including friends and family.
“Sheree manipulated me into believing that I was a responsible and willing participant in the abuse.
“She remorselessly proclaimed that I deserved to be punished, and that it was a justifiable consequence of me disappointing her in some way.”
Richard was pictured leaving BBC Breakfast studios in Manchester hand-in-hand with a new partner in March 2024.
