A Wiltshire woman who lives in fear of her ex-husband has urged other victims of domestic violence to speak out.

Mother-of-two Lyndsey Powell said she fears her “manipulative” ex-husband Richard Anthony Powell will repeat his behaviour when he is released from prison.

She told the court she now struggles to understand loving relationships and is worried about the impact on her two children of the domestic abuse and violence they witnessed.

Ms Powell said: “Gaining an understanding of perpetrators of domestic abuse whether this be emotional or physical is so important and anyone experiencing this should seek help.”

Wiltshire Times:

In her victim impact statement, she said: “I live in constant fear of Richard’s actions. I feel like I can’t move on and get on with my life and I don’t feel like this feeling will ever change.

“I genuinely don’t think I will ever be free of him or his control. This will continue to affect me for the rest of my life.”

Ms Powell, 36, was speaking after her ex-husband was jailed for a total of eight months at Salisbury Law Courts on May 12.

She said her relationship with Powell was “incredibly volatile and abusive” with her ex-husband frequently making degrading remarks about her appearance and twice physically assaulting her.

Ms Powell said: “I am speaking out because I wish to make other people aware of what he is like and how easy to accept this behaviour as normal” 

“Once he sent me 47 messages in a 24-hour period without me replying, that included threats to “cut Lyndsey up into pieces and slit her throat”. 

“If it stops other people from going through what I have gone through then it will do some good.”

Powell, 41, of Garth Road, Hilperton, was given four-month concurrent prison sentences after pleading guilty to five counts of sending malicious text messages to his ex-wife on five separate dates in August last year.

He also pleaded guilty to four breaches in April this year of a non-molestation order granted by the Bristol Family Court in October 2021.

He was given four-month concurrent prison sentences on these and also ordered to pay £122 to victim services.

Passing sentence, magistrates told Powell he had committed a “disgusting and unforgivable” act in using his children to further manipulate and abuse his ex-wife, and the only suitable punishment was a custodial sentence.