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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

sleeping with the enemy

124 replies

sadposter · 05/04/2010 18:54

I really need help. My H was kind and loving. He had a lot of anger issues from his childhood and he went to counselling to try and sort this. His behaviour at times could be very erratic and he was diagnosed with a mood disorder/depression. I knew life would never be easy with him but I did love him and he was very loving to me most of the time. At times he could be very abusive but I learned to not react and when they passed he would be very apologetic.

Before the recession we lived a fairly affluent lifestyle. I mention this because it's relevant I think. I began to suspect he may be messing around with other women. Anytime I confronted him he swore on dc's lives that he wasn't and that he adored me. Over time with a lot of detective work I discovered a whole other world of foreign prostitutes. Worse he set up a lot of these women in brothels and was making money from them.

I confronted him and told him to get out of the house or I'd expose him to everyone. He told me I was sick to think him capable of that. He denied everything and said he'd been set up. When I insisted he left he became very violent and in the end the police had to drag him from the house. He's never forgiven me for calling the police and insists that none of the above is true.

I began to question my sanity and thought I'd made him violent by my accusations. The police confirmed that it was true and I also had it confirmed from other sources. Still I could question it and wonder were they all wrong and was it possible he was innocent.

Since I exposed all of this the only way I can describe his behaviour is evil. He has tried to destroy me in so many ways.

I feel so broken that I had children with this man and that my marriage was a lie. I have no family support and have lost most of my support network as he has told they all lies about me. That I was only with him for money type thing and that I threw him out for no reason. I have told no one the truth because I want to protect the children.

He takes the children when it suits him and spoils them rotton. They get everything you could imagine which is the opposite to how I wanted them raised. I am struggling to make ends meet. He won't have them overnight or help in any practical way. He will only take them for a few hours to do fun stuff. The children think he's great.

I feel I am getting worse and worse. I do not want my children in his world but what can I do. I feel huge grief about everything. I don't want revenge but lately I really want to expose him. He now wants to take the children on holiday with his sister and I am really tempted to tell her everything. I hate leaving them go but is it right to punish them or him for his lifestyle?

I am sorry this is so long. I don't know how I'm ever going to recover from this. How will I ever get over the sadness and betrayal. I am constantly physically sick over all this. He is still involved in prostitution. Help

OP posts:
Quattrocento · 06/04/2010 00:15

I'm sorry for your troubles

You mentioned this:

"My solicitor says my hands are tied unless he was prosecuted. She investigated my allegations herself and said that it is true."

I'm curious to know how a family law solicitor investigated your allegations. Can you elaborate on the steps that she took? It's an unusual thing for her to have done.

sadposter · 06/04/2010 00:16

This is not a wind up. He is not a criminal as he has not been convicted of anything other than an incident of domestic violence. I cannot mention the prostitution unless he is convicted and I am not sure that will ever happen. I do have faith in my solicitor but what can she do? We've been over it and over it. Unless he is convicted he has full rights.

OP posts:
sadposter · 06/04/2010 00:23

Fuzzy the children are not at risk as such. It is just that it is so wrong handing them over when I know what he is involved in.

Thanks NEmummy.

Quattrocento, I actually didn't ask her this. She just told me she had carried out her own investigations and had established what I said was true.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 06/04/2010 00:26

I find it interesting, sadposter, that the poster that has touched you the most is the one that has spouted meaningless platitudes at you

and yet, the ones you should be taking serious notice of seem to be triggering a very defensive reaction in you

there are some knowledgeable women on MN...I would imagine if you are a regular poster you would be aware of that

dittany · 06/04/2010 00:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sadposter · 06/04/2010 00:31

I have been here during happier times. I have read some of the wind ups. This is not one. I would be very sick to come on here posting about this if it wasn't true. I posted this because I'm at my wits end on how to move forward. The one thing that has come out of this is that I'm going to try to speak to the police officer who spoke to me off the record again tomorrow. Everyone is in agreeance that he shouldn't have access to the children. I also felt this. I'm all over the place emotionally though and sometime think should I just detach from what he is doing and leave him have access. Please don't flame me for this. My children adore him and I am lost in knowing how to deal with all of this.

OP posts:
Quattrocento · 06/04/2010 00:32

I just don't understand how a family law solicitor would have 'carried out her own investigations'.

I have never heard of such a thing.

firsttimestepdad · 06/04/2010 00:33

HI Sadposter, can i please just say sorry for your situation. No matter the things he has done, he is not helping your kids now nore is he helping you! Stay safe, that has to be first surely. Take legal advice fast, and pick the phone up, and find family, friends a distent pen pall, don't think your alone, just move away from the original circles - it will help. If you can, move a lodger in, less likely for him to kick off plus theres a witness, plus income! Write everything down, and if you can try and record it by tape and/or video, then do and label. Courts can be be very unkind without hard evidence! Please just stay safe, you know him, so stop and move away, if you think it's going nasty, then, well, that becomes time and communication, there is an end. All my concerns x

sadposter · 06/04/2010 00:34

Anyfucker you tell me what I can do. I am not being defensive at all. I have certainly not tried to defend my H at all. My hands are tied legally unless he is convicted. In the meantime legally I've been court ordered to hand over the children for access.

OP posts:
SolidGoldBrass · 06/04/2010 00:36

I am not disbelieving the OP I am suggesting that her solicitor is giving her bad advice and that she should seek a second opinion, preferably from a solicitor well versed in family law/domestic violence issues.

AnyFucker · 06/04/2010 00:39

SP...several posters have said that your legal representation is lacking

I would listen to them and look into that as a starting point instead of giving up and thinking your only option is to hand over your children to a dangerous criminal

and he is a dangerous criminal...at least potentially to your children also

he has proven violent tendencies towards women

the police agree with you he has been involved in an area of crime that is notorious for its exceedingly dodgy dealings

a man like that should not have unsupervised access to children...and I am struggling to understand why you would roll over and accept that

you are being given very poor counsel...have you even sought a second opinion...or would you rather give up ?

sadposter · 06/04/2010 00:41

Dittany the prostitution is a criminal matter, it is a police investigation. My solicitor was only able to fight the access on the domestic violence incident. Other than that she is only looking to get me divorced asap.

firsttimestepdad he has not been in the house since the police removed him for the violent incident. I am physically safe. I do not want to get tangled into his world trying to gather evidence. I can only hope the police will have enough to eventually prosecute.

OP posts:
dittany · 06/04/2010 00:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

dittany · 06/04/2010 00:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

firsttimestepdad · 06/04/2010 00:47

I can tell you lots of stories of police mistakes and that i would not rely on them to solve this! If you feel safe enough then, go for the kill, stop access, screw fears, keep your kids safe!!

Quattrocento · 06/04/2010 00:47

Do you seriously imagine that the police would disclose that sort of information about an active investigation? And just answer the phone to someone and say "Oh yes, Mr X. For sure he is a well-known brothel-owner and shady character. Now, is there anything else I can help you with?"

sadposter · 06/04/2010 00:48

Anyfucker and solid please try to understand the police will not go on record yet about the prostitution as there is an active investigation. In the eyes of the law he is a law abiding citizen with one violent incident. My solicitor has a proven track record of being one of the best in my area. I did seek a lot of advice before going to her. I am not rolling over accepting it but the law says he is entitled to see his children. If he was convicted of the prostitution of course legally I would be able to fight him on access.

OP posts:
dittany · 06/04/2010 00:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sadposter · 06/04/2010 00:52

Actually Dittany I think you are right. The police officer that spoke to me off the record has spoken to my solicitor several times. She did not want my H to have access either and also she was in contact with her about the violence prosecution. I hadn't thought to ask her as my head was mush but I had thought maybe she got a PI but I think you're right she was told off the record the same as me.

OP posts:
firsttimestepdad · 06/04/2010 00:53

Very true but, there needs to be reasonable grounds angel. The law does allow him to see them but: on your terms at first! Try and keep it this way!

sadposter · 06/04/2010 00:54

Dittany I mentioned that to my solicitor but she warned me not to even mention it. She told me it might take time but she is doing her best to sort this.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 06/04/2010 00:55

Look, I have no wish to harass you

But your posts are a mass of contradictions

On the one hand yoy say you have taken advice and he has legal support in having access to his children. You have legal representation...

So why don't you have formal access arrangements ?

...you say he takes them when he wants to

...doesn't have them overnight

...makes no monetary provision for them

...exposes them to a lifestyle that is very, very worrying

...he is still involved in prostitution

Eh ?

firsttimestepdad · 06/04/2010 00:57

wo, anyfucker calm down, things are as they are

AnyFucker · 06/04/2010 01:01

FTSD, I am perfectly calm

"things are as they are" ?

ok then ...am sure the OP will find that fatuous statement very helpful...about as helpful as she is finding my posts, I expect

which is not

sadposter · 06/04/2010 01:05

Anyfucker, he chose the access times that suited him in court and was granted that by a judge. He was court ordered to pay maintenance. The prostitution goes on in the background. He is a "respectable" business man.

Thanks firsttimestepdad.

I am emotional. I've spent most of the evening on here. I may get some things mixed up or contradict myself at times but I am telling the truth and the facts are as they are. When I had doubts about my H my counsellor told me lies always stay the same but the truth changes as we remember it differently each time or remember different things.

OP posts:
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