Warning: This article contains discussion of domestic violence which some readers may find distressing.
A woman who abused her husband for 20 years was finally caught using ‘harrowing’ nanny cam footage.
Making for quite the uncomfortable watch, a true crime documentary which originally aired on Channel 5 has now been added to Netflix and details Richard Spencer’s brave story.
My Wife, My Abuser features the man speaking out after a judge called it the ‘worse case of coercive and controlling behaviour’ they had ever seen.
Sheree Spencer physically, emotionally and financially abused Richard, threatening to frame him for abuse to keep him from speaking out.
She would even scream for help in the house in the hope their neighbours would back up any lies she did tell.
Having spat on and stabbed him with forks, Richard began to save footage recorded on nanny cams as an ‘insurance’ to stop her from blocking access to his kids in the future.
How Sheree Spencer was finally caught
With his ear once being left disfigured when Sheree hit him with a wine bottle, Richard would typically hide his injuries with makeup.
But one night, she rang one of his friends, claiming he was drunk and she feared for what he might do.
Spencer’s abuse was caught on nanny cam (Channel 5)
Richard’s friend came rushing over to the house. However, once the two men were alone, he asked about a bruise.
And this led to the abuse survivor showing one of the appalling videos he had saved from the nanny cam.
Richard’s friend went straight to the police who were then handed the heap of evidence that had been gathered, including 36 videos, nine audio clips and 43 photographs of injuries.
“The abuse was hidden from the outside world”
One video even showed Sheree threatening her husband with a knife, lunging at him and leaving him with a 2cm cut below his knee.
Nanny cam footage picked up harrowing moments, such as Sheree brandishing a knife in their home (Channel 5)
During the doc, the husband and dad says: “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 was arrested in 2021, pleading guilty in 2023 to coercive and controlling behaviour between January 2016 and June 2021, and three occasions of assault occasioning actual bodily harm between January and April 2020.
She was sentenced to four years in prison, where she currently remains.
My Wife, My Abuser is available to watch on Netflix now.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, please know that you are not alone. Male victims can call ManKind’s confidential helpline freephone on 0808 800 1170, available Monday-Friday 10am-4pm. There is also the national domestic violence helpline Refuge, supporting women and children, on 0808 2000 247, available 24/7, or via live chat, available 10am-10pm, Monday to Friday.