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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

"My childrens welfare is paramount to me"

17 replies

sophmum31 · 10/05/2021 13:16

My STBX has just written the thread title in a letter to my solicitor and it has infuriated me, he also said my behaviour has been "erratic". I'm so annoyed by it, its so hard to deal with someone thinking they are this amazing upstanding person when really they are not.

He decided to leave nearly a year ago now, I realised very quickly there was no future so started divorce proceedings, he was financially abusive during the marriage and I decided I'd had enough.

Since he left he has repeatedly come to the family home and had long rants at me, threatening me with everything from social services to cutting off the gas/electric and broadband. Hes taken my laptop and turned the broadband off to prevent me from working. Also used CCTV to monitor my movements for months.

We are trying to work out the financial settlement and he wants me to settle for 35% of the total marital pot - meaning a smaller home for the children and their main home is much worse than what he can afford.

He came 2 weeks before Christmas and cleared out all of the living room furniture and many other daily items from the house - the phone, the curtains etc. With no consideration for how this would affect the children.

He then came a month later and took the TV off the wall - while our DD was watching it. Our DD was very upset about this (she has been exposed to many of the rants) she threw the remote control and broke it. He then threatened her with the police for criminal damage and spent ages telling her how she had done it and their relationship is over.

He is still paying the mortgage on the family home but has completely stopped any other payments (the mortgage is around 70% of what he would have to pay in CMS). He completely refuses to pay any additional money while we sort the divorce out. He has taken his name off bills and even got a refund on the council tax and tv licence so I had to pay massive bills! He has ensured that I have no access to any of the family savings and is claiming through his solicitor that he cannot afford to pay any maintenance (he has £190k in the bank alone). I asked him for a contribution towards a laptop for our DD while in lockdown and he refused as "he has finished bankrolling me".

Our DD hates him and will not spend any time with him at all. DS does go to him every other weekend. But this weekend he has not turned up to collect him, or contacted either of us. This is all to punish me because I dared to stand up for him and my solicitor threatened a non-mol and occupation order. But leaves our poor DS upset and bewildered as he doesn't know whats going on.

All I want is to get the divorce sorted, move out of this house and move on! Both kids deserve better and the last thing I want is for them to be stuck in the middle of this kind of behaviour.

I don't care what he does to me anymore, but how can I stop this affecting the kids so badly? How can I stop being so angry when he swans back in on his white horse like a disney dad to show how amazing he is!!

OP posts:
ConfusedAdultFemale · 10/05/2021 13:22

Go to court over the kids. He’s emotionally abusive to them, why would you want him in their lives?!

ConfusedAdultFemale · 10/05/2021 13:25

Sorry that reads way too harsh considering he’s also abusive to you, I’m sorry Flowers but the abuse he’s put you through he has also put your children through. He’s proven he doesn’t care about them one little bit, your DS will suffer far more having the hope of his father finally loving him than he would if the abuse was called out and prevented. It’s not an easy situation to be in though and I hope it works out for you and you can all be free of the abuse Flowers

Starlightstarbright1 · 10/05/2021 13:27

Well you do need follow through so he can't come in the house.

I would tell your dd to go upstairs if he us there.

I would not contact him..how old is your ds? I would simply remove any discussion of him.

Also women aid may be able to help

crackingcrackers · 10/05/2021 13:31

I'm so sorry to hear how awful he is and how badly he's hurting you and the children. Are you reporting all of his behaviour to your solicitor? Why just threaten him with non molestation and occupation order, why not get them? I think that's probably all you can do to protect your children from him. He clearly doesn't care if he hurts them and sounds like there is no chance of reasoning with him. Do they believe the Disney dad version of him? Roughly how old are the kids? I think all you can do is be there with love and support. They'll have the stability of your relationship with them.

Singlenotsingle · 10/05/2021 13:37

Could you afford to move out and rent somewhere until the house is sold? I know it sounds a bit drastic but it would get you away from this dreadful selfish man. It sounds as though he doesn't even love the dc if he's prepared to let them down so badly.

Horehound · 10/05/2021 13:41

Document everything he has removed from the house
Freeze any joint accounts.

What a horrible man he is. Go for everything you can.
Are you allowed to change the locks?

sophmum31 · 10/05/2021 13:46

DD is 14 and DS is 10. I can't really move out, I can't afford it as rental round here is very expensive especially as I have to house the children! My solicitor also said to try as hard as possible to stay because the house is in his name.

There is a pattern and he's done this before. There will be a few more days of silence before he gets back in contact and blames me for him not seeing his son. Our DS absolutely loves him and he does get a lot from their relationship so ideally he would still see him but I can't let him go on hurting him.

OP posts:
sophmum31 · 10/05/2021 13:47

I can't legally change the locks as he owns the house but I guess if I did he would have to take me to court to get access.

OP posts:
Peace43 · 10/05/2021 14:27

Work with your solicitor to get a non molestation and occupation order. You are part through this, you need to continue to the bitter end... keep moving forward...

MooseBeTimeForSummer · 10/05/2021 14:47

Did your lawyer not advise to apply for maintenance pending suit?

Aprilwasverywet · 10/05/2021 14:50

If you change the locks he can legally force entry...
Write a timeline of everything he has done. Highlight any incidents the dc witnessed.

Palavah · 10/05/2021 14:51

Don't let that statement get to you. It's part of his nonsense, and all the facts in your post make it patently clear that statement is bullshkt.
Use it to fuel your resilience and resolve.

Gilda152 · 10/05/2021 15:00

How does it matter who's name it's in if you're married ?

But if its so traumatic to be in the house when he's so clearly trying to get you to leave, then I would absolutely find a way to rent another one and live in peace rather than hanging in tooth and nail for the sake of money/settlements etc. I know that won't be a popular opinion on MN but life is short.

SandyY2K · 10/05/2021 16:04

You could always say there was a suspected break in, so you changed the locks for security purposes. It's quite unsettling to know he can come in and out anytime from a safety point of view.

Tomyoneandonly · 10/05/2021 16:38

You have to change the locks. Does he have a door key? He has threatened to turn your essentials off have you told the solicitor this? He is abusive to your dcs and even more to you. I know no one would agree with me although have you thought about giving him some rent? That way if you document it it would be so much harder getting you to leave. (You shouldn't have to do that though) I've known someone who was abused doing that and it worked for 14years. Think about going no contact. Your ds will know soon what a abusive dad He has got and he most likely wouldn't want to see him. He is theoretically making his own children homeless by making you feel like you have to leave.

BlueVelvetStars · 10/05/2021 16:45

Change the locks now

LittlestBoho · 10/05/2021 16:46

If you get the non-molestation order he won't be able to walk into your house any time he feels like it. It will protect you.

Tell your solicitor to take his gloves off. Your ExH has £190k in the bank and he's stealing TVs literally from his children? Nah. You need to be harder on him. He could be frittering all that money away so there's none left for you by the time the settlement comes around.

Don't move out of the house, the children live there, and it's a bargaining chip in your favour that you have sole possession of one of the biggest marital assets.

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