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ABH - Please help
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.
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.
Answers
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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/
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/
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.
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.
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