A MUM has spoken of her fury after her controlling husband walked free from court despite subjecting her to four years of abuse.
Suzanne Symonds was left with life-changing injuries including a broken wrist after she was repeatedly attacked by Terry Andrews.
Cover ImagesSuzanne Symonds was abused by her husband[/caption]
Cover ImagesTerry Andrews avoided jail despite the twisted campaign[/caption]
Cover ImagesThe thug broke Suzanne’s wrist[/caption]
The 38-year-old feared the brute would kill her as she was isolated from friends and family by Andrews.
Suzanne has now bravely spoken out after he avoided jail despite the horrific campaign of abuse.
Andrews, of Ashford, Kent, was instead handed a two-year prison term suspended for two years after pleading guilty to a string of charges including inflicting grievous bodily harm.
Suzanne told Kent Online: “After such an incredibly long fight for justice, for the sake of myself, my daughter, and anybody else who has to go through this horrific situation, the suspended sentence is incomprehensible.
“I felt that the judge really lacked the compassion and/or experience to give him the sentence he deserved. I feel like he manipulated her as well. He should be in jail right now.
“It’s astounding, really. It’s such an injustice because once again I feel like I haven’t been heard.”
Suzanne, who has a daughter from a previous relationship, said she was initially smitten when she met Andrews in 2017.
But she revealed how looking back now, it was a “suffocating” love on his part and “very controlling”.
The mum recalled how Andrews first used violence following an “argument about nothing”.
She added: “I was standing in the hallway and he pushed me with force into the wall by the stairs. I was horrified. I was in shock, quite frankly. I’ve never been physically abused by anyone.
“It’s a classic tale – you think as a woman you’d never put up with that, that if anyone touched you, you’d walk away. But sadly, we don’t.
“He convinced me thereafter that his actions were a result of my wrongdoing, me winding him up. Always.”
Over the course of their four-year relationship, Suzanne said she was left “completely on edge and anxious” by “jealous” Andrews.
She told how he would make her feel guilty about seeing friends or her mum and would demand to know when she was coming home.
In November 2022, Andrews shoved her against a banister then pushed her into a wall.
Brave Suzanne has since released photos of her horror injuries – including bruising to her body and face.
She also shared a picture of her broken wrist, which required two operations, after Andrews snapped it in 2019.
Doctors said the “catastrophic fracture” was more often seen in car crash victims.
Describing the final attack on her, Suzanne said: “I thought, this is it, I’m going to die. There was menace in his eyes.
“I remember standing there shaking and saying, ‘Oh my God, oh my God’. When he left, I got my phone and called the police.”
Andrews pleaded guilty to engaging in controlling/coercive behaviour between 2018 and 2022, inflicting grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage.
A further assault charge and three counts of intentional strangulation were ordered to lie on file.
Addressing him at Canterbury Crown Court, Suzanne said: “You made me feel like I was going to die, I was terrified.
“That is when I finally realised that what we had was not love, it was abuse.
“Since then, I have desperately tried to rebuild my life without you.
“I don’t know who to trust, what to believe, or who I am anymore, because of you.”
Domestic abuse – how to get help
DOMESTIC abuse can affect anyone – including men – and does not always involve physical violence.
Here are some signs that you could be in an abusive relationship:
Emotional abuse – Including being belittled, blamed for the abuse – gaslighting – being isolated from family and friends, having no control over your finances, what you where and who you speak to
Threats and intimidation – Some partners might threaten to kill or hurt you, destroy your belongings, stalk or harass you
Physical abuse – This can range from slapping or hitting to being shoved over, choked or bitten.
Sexual abuse – Being touched in a way you do not want to be touched, hurt during sex, pressured into sex or forced to have sex when you do not consent.
If any of the above apply to you or a friend, you can call these numbers:
The Freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge on 0808 2000 247 for free at any time, day or night
Men who are being abused can call Respect Men’s Advice Line on 0808 8010 327 or ManKind on 0182 3334 244
Those who identify as LGBT+ can ring Galop on 0800 999 5428
If you are in immediate danger or fear for your life, always ring 999
Remember, you are not alone.
1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience domestic abuse over the course of their lifetime.
Every 30 seconds the police receive a call for help relating to domestic abuse.
The mum also told how she forgave Andrews, but added: “Not because you deserve my forgiveness, but because I deserve peace.”
As well as a suspended sentence, the thug was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, 26 sessions of the Building Better Choices programme and 10 days of rehabilitation activity requirements.
Recorder Amy Nicholson said there was “a lot of victim blaming” in Andrews’ pre-sentence report, which branded him “someone who poses a high risk to a partner in a relationship”.
But she said she could “just about be persuaded to suspend the sentence”.
Ms Nicholson added: “I’ve read many positive character references. You should be very grateful to your friends and family.
“It’s clear, there is a different side to you than the one Ms Symonds had to deal with.”
Cover ImagesBrave Suzanne shared pictures of her horror injuries[/caption]
Cover ImagesShe was shoved and controlled over four years[/caption]
Cover ImagesAndrews was handed a suspended sentence[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
