Can we talk about Laura Gallacher

There was a thread on here were the female OP's, DH often interrupts her telling a story to her parents etc to correct a detail that doesn't matter. Then there was articles linked why you just shouldn't do it.
"Interrupting a partner to correct minor, non-essential details is widely viewed as rude, controlling, and damaging to communication. It shifts the focus from connection and listening to a pointless debate over facts that do not change the point of the story". Did what he said change the story? If not, shr shouldn't have done it. That doesn't mean I have an opinion on the court cases, it's just looking at that incident.

She was 28 when they started seriously dating again. I know MN hates age gaps, but even at 19 and already in the show bix world, she was hardly underage. Eleven years isn't a massive age gap.

Isn’t she like 39 now? I agree she was probably groomed by him when she first dated him as an 18/19 year old when he was 30 - there was a clear age gap in terms of development and clear power imbalance but I don’t think that’s the case now she’s nearly 40. I don’t see her as this delicate little flower everyone else seems to think she is. She’s an adult who has chosen to stand by her husband and take his side.

Even if she doesn’t believe he’s guilty of rape or sexual assault, she knows he is guilty of doing some pretty horrible things - he’s openly spoken publicly about it and written about it in his books. She thinks what he’s done is ok or at least acceptable - none of it matters because he prances about now saying prayers.

I don’t know how she can stay with him. I often thought both with her and her sister there was something a bit dark going on? And I’m not sure what.
Maybe there is a clue in their childhood somewhere, I’m not sure what. We will never know.

This.

This!

@Ineversaidthatactually Why on earth are you funding him. Slightly ironic that you're criticising his wife supporting him whilst you're doing the same. Please get the link removed.

Agree with this. Even though we all think “oh my God, leave him!” many women are married to men who have somehow locked them in…

I watch MAFS and the two Brands are almost identical really to Brad and Shona - they had to leave the show because of his abusive behaviour. Shona absolutely fell for him. Shona's loved-up state was so similar to Laura's.

If I was scared of a partner on trial I would wait for the incarceration before dumping him.

I would absolutely support my DH if I had no evidence of guilt. Allegations are just that.
I assume she believes him.
If she doesn't, then that's a different story. Driven by fear, money, protecting their children?

I agree she has been groomed. You don’t have to be young to be groomed by someone manipulative. My mum met a man in her 60s who is convicted of sexually abusing his daughter. He was recently convicted when they met and released to a community rehabilitation programme. He told her about the abuse on their first date. Nearly 20 years later, she still thinks the sun shines out of his arse. Her life is all rainbows and unicorns and light. We are NC and have been for a long time. She is very isolated, but thinks she is the luckiest woman who ever lived to have landed such a catch. 🙄

I am much more lenient on age gap relationships, than a lot of MN. But this one alarmed me from day one. She was so young when she met him. I do believe he is the type who wants to control everything

That’s a really interesting observation OP. He is so manipulative I find him chilling to watch

I think this nails it. She might be embarrassed to admit things are not perfect as she paints them

To digress a tad, Marina Hyde was interesting on The Rest is Entertainment this week, pointing out it is possible to collapse your own trial with contempt of court, and Brand could well end up doing that depending on the contents of these broadcasts as it goes on. I hope the trial reaches its proper conclusion.

I’ve also been wondering about her and how she can put up with him. But I also think he’s dominant and she is passive to him, and probably been groomed.

something I can’t understand with the trial. I’ve been listening to a podcast where they report back each day going over the witness statements. Obviously all of this is a case of the girls words against his. There no actual evidence.

So how can be deemed guilty? The jurors have to be sure in order to convict, and I don’t see how anyone could be with no evidence?

to be clear, I absolutely think he is guilty and I believe the women. But I’m confused how he can ever be convicted.

She’s just a very public example of all the women we often see on here describing appalling behaviour by their DHs but then saying but he’s a great dad (when all evidence indicates he really isn’t) and he loves me, and I’ll wait till the kids are X age, or when I have more money, or I don’t want him to have the kids on his own so I’m staying with him, or his exes are all mad, bees stressed, he has a a difficult childhood etc etc etc ad infinitum. She may be groomed, she might know and not care, she could get off on it who knows. I just keep thinking about their poor kids and how horrendous it must be for her parents having them staying with them whilst this is going on. Be interesting to see what she does if he’s convicted.

Laura playing the supportive loyal wife at court is all an act to aid RB in his defence. If Laura wasn't at court supporting him then it wouldn't look good. Laura comes from a good decent family so if she believes him that creates doubt in the jury and that is all RB needs to get off.

I don't know if she has been groomed, coerced or just blind to RBs behaviour but agree it will be interesting after the trial is over to see if their marriage crumbles. I wouldn't be surprised if RB dumps her, rather than the other way round, once she has played her part.

lord knows what Kirsty thinks !

He is on trial not her.

We can speculate about her motivations and their relationship dynamics and whether he groomed her, but ultimately it’s just speculation. Maybe she’s just standing by her (vile) man and is idiotic. Who knows.

Am much more interested in what the court decides about him.

That’s really sad, I’m sorry you had to deal with that. You can guarantee the picture is not so rosy behind the scenes

Even with 6 complainants who don’t know each other or their allegations all saying the same thing?

He's well dodgy. Always has been. I wouldn't believe a word he says. Clearly his brand of charm works on some women.

I get the feeling that he's probably not a very nice man behind closed doors, and the stress of this trial has likely made him a horror to live with. She's there by choice, however, and I'd imagine she'll be doing a weekly prison visit with the kids saying that "Daddy has done nothing wrong, it's women lying about him".

It's the kids I feel the sorriest for because one day they'll be able to read all of this online.

He is clearly a controlling man imo and no doubt that she is victim of that control. However she did choose as an adult to resume their relationship knowing his history(his lifestyle was all over the press) so presumably she wasn’t that concerned about his sexual history etc.
And now we have these allegations against him and the trial, the allegations are not that much of a shock to most people so they can’t have been that shocking to her either. Maybe she just isn’t that bothered? Or she is so deep into the whole conspiracy theory thing that she can’t see it.

It will be interesting to see what happens to their marriage going forward.

As a total aside, that ceiling light needs moving.