News, Manchester
A mother whose controlling partner forced her to stop brushing her teeth for two years and threatened to disfigure her with boiling water and kill her son has told of living in “constant fear”.
Hannah Mellor suffered physical and psychological abuse over a two-year period at the hands of Ben Fitton, who was jailed for 18 years for offences including rape, strangulation, coercive and controlling behaviour and grievous bodily harm (GBH).
She has decided to waive her right to anonymity to tell her story and urge other victims to come forward after she reached out to Greater Manchester Police for help.
Det Con Russ Clarke said her experience was “one of worst cases of abuse ever seen” by the force.
Warning: This story contains references to domestic abuse and suicide. If you are affected by any of the issues raised, help and support is available via Action Line.
Ms Mellor said Fitton was “gentle and kind” at the start of their relationship before he became jealous and paranoid that she was with other people.
In some instances, he beat her causing serious injuries and, in others, his controlling and coercive behaviour began to show.
He banned her from wearing makeup, or showering “as being clean meant that I would be cheating on him,” Ms Mellor said.
“Part of the control was that I wasn’t allowed to brush my teeth for the whole of the relationship.
“Unfortunately for me, its left me with severely decayed teeth, which I really struggle with.”
Ms Mellor, originally from Glossop, said she felt there was no easy way to get out of the relationship, as Fitton knew where her family and young son lived.
He had made threats to kill her son, her mother and her sister’s cat, telling her on one occasion that he would “paint blood all over the shop” when finding them.
She said she had done “what I though was right to keep everyone safe” and stayed with him while remaining silent about the abuse.
Det Con Clarke said: “What she had to endure at the hands of Ben Fitton, nobody should have to go through.”
Fitton had been “consumed by jealousy, paranoia, and anger”, which had fuelled his “sustained campaign of sexual, physical, emotional, and psychological abuse”, Det Con Clarke added.
The abuse took its toll on Ms Mellor and she was taken in to hospital after trying to take her own life.
She then chose to contact Greater Manchester Police for help, which led to Fitton’s conviction.
Ms Mellor has urged domestic abuse victims to reach out for help, adding “no matter how hard you think it is, keeping going, keep going”
She said: “There is so much help when you reach for it, but you have to make sure that you are strong, and you are ready to be done forever, not for anybody else, but for yourself.”
