The jury in the coercive control and assault trial of TV auctioneer Charles Hanson has retired to consider its verdicts after hearing three weeks of evidence at Derby Crown Court.
Jurors, made up of seven women and five men, were sent out on Thursday to begin deliberations, with no time pressure imposed on them. Judge Martin Hurst informed them that if they required more time, the case could continue into next week.
Key arguments in the case
The trial has centred on allegations made by Rebecca Hanson, who claims her husband engaged in a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour between 2015 and 2023.
During the proceedings, the court heard claims that Hanson, 46, put his wife in a headlock while she was pregnant, an incident she alleges caused her immense distress before she later lost the baby. Other allegations include that he grabbed her repeatedly, pushed her, locked her in a hotel room, and scratched her in an attempt to snatch a mobile phone.
Prosecutors argue that WhatsApp messages sent by Hanson to his wife provide key evidence, with the Crown contending they amount to a set of confessions. One such message included a promise from Hanson to never again “lay a finger” on Rebecca, which the prosecution says provides a clear picture of the couple’s relationship.
Defence: A divorce battle turned criminal case?
Hanson has denied all charges, which include controlling or coercive behaviour, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and assault by beating.
His defence counsel, Sasha Wass KC, argued in her closing speech that Rebecca Hanson was not a victim of coercion but was instead an unstable and unhappy woman, resentful of her husband’s career commitments before their marriage collapsed in 2023.
Ms Wass urged the jury to question the credibility of Rebecca Hanson’s claims, particularly regarding the headlock incident, which Hanson maintains was nothing more than a hug.
“The entirety of the case rests on the testimony of Rebecca Hanson. There is nothing else. You have to be sure that she is reliable, accurate, and truthful,” she told the jury.
The defence also accused Rebecca Hanson of manipulating the court process, claiming she had turned the criminal proceedings into an extension of her divorce battle.
“She has not hesitated to lie,” Ms Wass asserted.
Hanson himself claimed in his testimony that rather than being the perpetrator, he was the victim, describing himself as “almost a slave” to his wife and alleging that she left him “a beaten and broken man”.
Prosecution: Hanson’s story “stretches credulity”
However, Crown counsel Stephen Kemp, in his closing speech, strongly rejected Hanson’s defence, describing his account as “stretching credulity beyond any reasonable limit”.
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He pointed to WhatsApp messages exchanged between the couple, arguing that Hanson’s own words provided a damning insight into the relationship and showed a pattern of manipulation and abuse.
The prosecution also challenged Hanson’s claim that he was the real victim, arguing that it was an attempt to deflect blame and undermine Rebecca Hanson’s testimony.
Jury deliberations underway
The jury began deliberating for around 30 minutes on Thursday before adjourning for the day. They are expected to resume their discussions at 10:30am on Friday.
The case, which has attracted significant public interest, could conclude as early as this week, depending on how long the jury takes to reach a decision.
Should Hanson be found guilty, he could face a significant prison sentence under laws designed to protect victims of coercive and controlling behaviour. If acquitted, the verdict could raise further questions about how such cases are prosecuted, particularly in high-profile disputes.
For now, the fate of Charles Hanson rests in the hands of the 12 jurors, who must decide whether he exerted control over his wife in a destructive and abusive manner—or whether the case against him is, as the defence claims, an unjust attempt to settle a bitter divorce dispute through the courts.
