TV auctioneer's assault trial shown video messages

The wife of television auctioneer Charles Hanson said her husband used his "TV personality" in video messages he sent to her during his allegedly controlling behaviour, a court heard.

Rebecca Hanson gave evidence against her husband from behind a screen during her second day in the witness box at Derby Crown Court on Thursday, calling his messages "an act".

Mr Hanson is on trial charged with controlling or coercive behaviour, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and assault by beating.

The 46-year-old, of Ashbourne Road in Mackworth, Derby, denied all charges against him during a court appearance in February 2024.

Mr Hanson is accused of grabbing, scratching and pushing his wife during a decade of violence, which began in 2012 when he allegedly held her in a headlock while she was pregnant.

On Thursday, the court was shown a series of video messages sent by him to his wife in which he introduced her to people he met while working, which his defence barrister Sasha Wass KC said was "an act of friendliness".

Ms Wass said: "He was anxious to please you most of the time, always trying to appease you and get in your good books.

"Mr Hanson is talking to you on the screen, introducing his business associates, as an act of friendliness."

Mrs Hanson replied: "He does a lot of these making videos of interviewing people, it's the TV personality.

"He's sending me a video but it's a TV personality, it's an act."

In another video shown in court, Mr Hanson filmed inside the couple's home where he had rearranged the furniture thinking his wife would be "pleased", but Mrs Hanson told the court she thought his behaviour was "really controlling".

She said: "He's doing exactly what he wants without my consideration. He knew I would not be pleased. He got what he wanted, knowing I did not want this."

The court heard that after he moved the furniture, Mrs Hanson accused him of playing "mind games".

She said: "I'm starting to fight back and stand up for myself. I'm at the end of my absolute tether and finally, I have got some guts to say some of this because I have been so controlled."

Mrs Hanson denied that she was being "selfish, ungrateful and spiteful" in her response to his video.

Ms Wass told the court that Mr Hanson working late away from home was a "cause of aggravation" for the couple.

She said: "You were not happy with your life at this time. Charles was successful but he was away a lot, wasn't he?"

Mrs Hanson replied: "He was away a lot."

Ms Wass continued: "He could be delayed for hours, couldn't he, and come back later than promised, later than expected, and this was a cause of aggravation for you?"

Mrs Hanson said: "Yes. Work definitely came first. He was very late, constantly unpredictable."

Ms Wass said: "You are feeling like you are just not getting enough attention from your husband. You wanted attention from him, didn't you? There is nothing wrong with that.

"That's why you were fed-up with your marriage, not him grabbing you or hitting you."

Mrs Hanson denied that had been the case.

The court heard Mrs Hanson took photographs of her injuries and compiled a list of her husband's alleged controlling behaviour to "gather evidence" against him.

She also showed her father bruises on one occasion.

Ms Wass told the jury that an allegation from March 2020, when Mrs Hanson said her husband threw a phone at her that "hurt", was "not a forceful throw".

She said: "You said you wanted the landline and he threw it towards you, so you could catch it.

"It was not a forceful throw, there was no intention to hurt you, there was no intention to damage the phone."

The trial continues.

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