ABH - Please help

[Anon_101]

I was involved in a domestic with my partner (and father of my children) and of last year. I had been suffering from anxiety and panic attacks around this time and one night he threatened me with a hot iron whilst at home. I had called his bluff and burnt myself with it whilst it was still in his hand, this burn required a skin graft. Straight after I had gone to a neighbour for help and they phoned the police. I gave a statement (which I now regret deeply) which stated that he did this to me - I could not live with his abuse any more and was finding it v difficult to cope and I desperately wanted him out of the house so the children and I could live in peace. No one would help me and the children and we had no where to go.
He is now on a charge of ABH and it has gone to Crown Court with a date set for Jan 2012. Since this incident I have retracted my statement and later made a letter of confession to the CPS followed by a further statement to the police.
They are refusing to drop the case despite these revelations and they did not take anything away from the scene for forensic tests so it appears that there is no forensic evidence. There is only my original statement which I retracted and replaced, a few photos of my hand and a statement from the consultant stating my injuries. There were no witnesses and the children were asleep in the house at the time.
I have written to the CPS several times and no one seems to take any notice, I cannot have my partner go to prison for something he had not done.
What can we do? We are desperate for any sensible help please.

[sara3]

I can't see how you can take this forward but to be honest, I would assume that he'd done it, too. he's obviously capable.

have you seen a solicitor? are you still with him?

[sara3]

oh, so he did do it.. dear oh dear!

http://www.theanswerb.../Question1002084.html

[Anon_101]

In my last post in March I was worried about what would happen to me if I revealed the truth. He has never hurt me before, I was unwell at the time suffering from panic attacks.
He did not hurt me, please see page 2 of that thread.

[sara3]

are you right or left handed? and where's the burn?

[exdc]

Hi anon

Do you know what your partner said in police interviews?

[Anon_101]

He was on my right hand side so I put the iron to my right hand as it was closest to the iron with my left - I am right handed.

He has only been interviewed once and he has stated he does not know how I did it.

[exdc]

Hi anon

Sorry, I am uncertain whether you are saying your partner did or did not assault you. Has your partner lied to the police then?.

Also, are you aware whether your neighbours have given a witness statement to the police, if so, do you know what they said?.

Ta

[Anon_101]

Exdc, as I said I put the iron on my hand. He did not assault me. I wanted him out, I could not cope.

The neighbour who I went to has made a statement however no one saw or heard anything on the evening.

[boxtops]

We don't know what to believe, anon - first post he did it, but you were asking about retracting that statement - now you say you did it to yourself.
I don't understand why you are so desperate to keep out of prison a man who assaults you and abuses you.

[bednobs]

i don't think there is anything you can do - the prosecution is going ahead without you. The CPS probably thinks (and i can understand why) that you are either being coerced into retracting your statement or your anxiety has given you a false recollection of events.

I don't understand how your husband dosen't know what happened, and if your version of events (your second version, not the first) is correct, why didn't he just say that you'd done it to yourself? Even if you actually put your hand to the iron yourself, you were clearly in fear, he had abused you previously and he was threatening you with a hot iron at the time! This is not normal behaviour, and surely deserves to go to court even if he didn't inflict the actual injury? He clearly inflicted injuries (maybe physical, maybe mental) on you previously. It's very usual for abused women to wrongly blame themselves and i would guess this is what the CPS thinks is happening. I relly don't think there is any more you can do. I presume he is pleading not guilty/

[Anon_101]

Boxtop, the first part of the first post outlined explained the situation that we were in (that was associated with the rogue statement) and my question was what would happen if I changed my statement.

Why would I want to send someone to prison someone who did not assault me?

[bednobs]

because they threatened you with a hot iron? because you "could not live with his abuse any more"?

[sara3]

I wish you luck, but I don't buy it.

[Anon_101]

As I stated previously, I was unwell at the time. I am not looking for opinions I am looking for help from someone who knows the judicial system who can give advice.

[exdc]

Hi anon

Sorry, I am not trying to make judgements etc but I am uncertain what has happened i.e which one has lied and who to.

The police and CPS adopt a 'positive action' policy in any domestic violence incident particularly when it involves vulnerable people and childern and will almost certainly continue a prosecution trial even with hostile witnesses.

You could try and get an appointment with the domestic violence unit or the officer in charge of the case and tell them the true facts of the incident as this could get very messy at Crown Court.