Sheree Spencer sadistically assaulted and humiliated her husband Richard for two decades.
Throughout their 20-year marriage, Sheree, 46, subjected Richard, 47, to horrific levels of violence, including pushing, slapping and spitting, locking him out of the house, and defecating on his head. But little did she know, dad-of-three Richard had been secretly saving clips of the abuse.
In Channel 5's new documentary My Wife, My Abuser: The Secret Footage, Sheree can be seen physically attacking and threatening Richard on the clips he recorded on their nanny cam, which was purchased following the birth of their eldest daughter in 2015. It was this footage that ultimately put Sheree behind bars.
Richard feared he might one day need the videos as 'insurance' if Sheree tried to cut him off from seeing their three children - so he kept a total of 36 videos, nine audio clips and 43 photos of injuries as evidence. The truth finally came to light one evening when Sheree rang one of Richard's friends claiming her husband was drunk and she was frightened of what he might do.
The concerned pal rushed over to the house, but as soon as he and Richard were alone, he quizzed him about why he had a bruise. It was then that Richard revealed what had really been going on at home and showed him one of the horrifying recordings he'd saved.
One particularly appalling clip, which has since been made public, shows Sheree holding a knife to her husband's throat. In an interview with The Sun, Richard reflected: "I felt so trapped for lots of reasons. If it had not been for my friend, I'm not sure what would have happened."
In the documentary, Richard shared the most 'demoralising' thing that happened to him during their marriage. He said: "I was sitting on the bedroom floor because Sheree wouldn't let me sit on the bed. She got up to go to the toilet and I was facing where the bathroom was, the next minute I just realised that she defecated on my head."
In an audio clip of the horrific incident, Richard said: "I don't deserve it," to which Sheree replied: "You do deserve it. Go and scrub away you c*** and clean my s*** up." After another incident where she hit him on the back of the head with a wine glass, Richard required stitches in hospital.
In March 2023, Sheree was jailed for four years at Hull Crown Court after confessing to controlling and coercive behaviour as well as three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Judge Kate Rayfield told the court the abuse was 'the worst case of controlling and coercive behaviour' she had ever seen.
Richard hopes Channel 5's My Wife, My Abuser will help spread awareness of domestic abuse. He now works alongside the Mankind Initiative charity - which supports men who have survived domestic abuse - and has found true love with a new partner who he describes as the 'complete opposite of Sheree in every way possible'.
- My Wife, My Abuser: The Secret Footage is now available to watch on My5.