Bargain Hunt star Charles Hanson ‘told police alleged headlock was loving hug’
The television personality is on trial at Derby Crown Court accused of using violence against his wife.
Bargain Hunt star Charles Hanson told police that an alleged headlock he held his pregnant wife in was a “loving” hug, a court has heard.
The jury was told that the 46-year-old television auctioneer said during a police interview that Rebecca Hanson was a “fantasist” who “can exaggerate things”.
Hanson, of Ashbourne Road in Mackworth, Derby, was charged with controlling or coercive behaviour, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault by beating after he was arrested from his home on June 14 2023.
His wife has told the jury at Derby Crown Court that Hanson used violence against her throughout a decade, which began with the first incident in 2012 when he allegedly held her in a headlock during an argument while she had been pregnant.
A police interview with Hanson which took place at St Mary’s Wharf police station in Derby on June 15 2023, the day after he had been arrested, was read to the court on Wednesday.
The jury heard that Hanson told police that during this alleged incident Mrs Hanson “completely went wild” and he was trying to be “warm and lovely” when he gave her a hug.
Stephen Kemp, prosecuting, read Hanson’s interview in which he said: “She had a massive bender, just completely went wild. She has these now and again.
“I said ‘everything is OK, come here love, give us a big squeeze’. I held her really tight. She took it the wrong way. I think at the time Rebecca took offence.
“Rebecca can be a fantasist, she can exaggerate things, everything is exaggerated beyond reasonable belief – I believe that is the case with this hug.
“I squeezed her in a loving way, it was not forceful. It was not me going over forcibly, it was a hug.
“I squeezed her into me and that’s what it was. It was not aggressive, it was not a grab, just focused on being warm and lovely.
“There was a lot of pressure I think on the pregnancy. She’s a very depressive person, not happy in life.
“For the past sort of six weeks she has been really abusive to me. Everything has been so coercive. I was in tears last weekend – I said I can’t cope with this, Rebecca is so abusive.
“I’m trying to cope but she has just changed. I think mentally she’s not well.”
In Hanson’s interview he told police his wife had a tendency for “meltdowns” and had “mood swings”, the court heard.
On May 1 2023, it is alleged that Hanson pushed his wife twice in their bedroom after she swore at him.
He told the police that she had been “waving her arms around” and he just gave her a “tiny prod”, the jury heard.
The court heard that he said in the police interview: “We both went upstairs and she just shouted out f*** you, f*** you, f*** you.
“I said ‘you can’t say that’ and very gently put my hand on her shoulder. She’s up in bed waving her arms around in some crazy way. It was a tiny prod on the shoulder.
“I did not push her back on the bed, I said ‘stop it’ and walked out. Rebecca gets more upset I think by raised voices.”
Mrs Hanson had told the jury there was an occasion in May 2021 when her husband “threatened to put burning embers from the fire” on her.
The court heard that when asked by police about the allegation, Hanson replied: “I have never said that.”
He added: “I’m not a violent guy, I’m not someone who can’t control my anger. What you are being told is factually far from the case and that upsets me a lot.
“She can very much blow things way out of proportion. I cannot remember those incidents because I don’t think they are true.”
The court heard that Mrs Hanson sent her husband a message in May 2023 saying “don’t chuck your wife around”, to which he replied: “I won’t ever again.”
When asked why he responded in that way during a second police interview in November that year, the jury was told he said: “I think it is just, again, in response to keeping the peace with her. I have never chucked my wife around ever.”
The trial continues.
