Bargain Hunt star Charles Hanson “had no desire” to put wife in fear during domestic violence trial

Bargain Hunt star Charles Hanson “had no desire” to put wife in fear, the TV auctioneer has told a court. Giving evidence in his defence for a third day at Derby Crown Court, the 46-year-old also revealed it was his belief Rebecca Hanson never really loved him.

Mr Hanson is accused of using violence towards Mrs Hanson over a 10-year period, including pushing, scratching and grabbing her. Hanson, of Ashbourne Road in Mackworth, Derby, denies controlling or coercive behaviour, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and assault by beating, charges brought after he was arrested in June 2023.

During today’s evidence, the antiques expert denied his wife Rebecca’s assertion that an incident in May 2023 had constituted an assault, saying he had “tapped her shoulder” in response to bad language. The court also heard that Mr Hanson sent a letter to police expressing deep regret over the incident, saying he had pushed and jolted his wife backwards to get her attention away from TikTok.

Prosecutor Stephan Kemp told the trial on Tuesday that Hanson wrote a letter to the dedicated officer for the investigation in August 2023, saying he had serious doubts about his wife’s reliability and credibility and “concerns as to her mental health”. Jurors were told the letter claimed that in May 2023 Hanson and his wife were both feeling unwell and Mrs Hanson was “sat on the bed watching TikTok” when he asked her for help.

According to the letter, Mrs Hanson then shouted a swear word at her husband three times, and Hanson “pushed her right shoulder so as to jolt her backwards… to show my annoyance at her dreadful language, her rudeness towards me”.

The letter, in which Hanson referred to a “double push”, said the “short jolt” was “to get her attention away from TikTok” and said he deeply regretted the incident, which was an instance of physical contact and “not a case of domestic abuse”.

Under cross-examination from Mr Kemp about the letter, Hanson said his wife had sat up in bed and started flailing her arm around towards him. The television personality added: “A double push sounds like more than it was. It was a double tap – there was no more in it than that. I did not push my wife in the strictest sense. I tapped her shoulder to get her attention in the first instance about bad language.”

Telling jurors a further contact was made as he asked his wife if she was okay as she flailed her fists, Hanson continued: “It was to get her attention. I had no desire to put my wife in any fear whatsoever.”

The alleged assault, Mr Kemp suggested, was the reason things had changed between the couple, rather than Mrs Hanson having “mentally gone slightly awol” – as claimed by Hanson. Hanson responded: “There was never an assault.

“I think her behaviour was completely unreasonable. It was bewildering, seeing her thrash her arms and fists about in front of her. I was concerned about her wellbeing. I don’t think she was very well.”

Messages sent between the couple were read to the court, including one in which Mrs Hanson said “don’t chuck your wife around” and Mr Kemp put it to Hanson that she was saying that there were many times when he had behaved in such a way.

Addressing Mr Kemp, Hanson answered: “All I did was just tap her shoulder and say ‘darling you can’t say that’. I never chucked my wife around. I was a fool under her control.”

During the final minutes of his evidence to the court, Hanson was asked to give a view of what motive his wife may have had to tell lies about him. After the court heard divorce proceedings are ongoing, Hanson said: “Despite the problems we had, I never gave up hoping there would be an ounce of love left to make it work. Hence we went to Relate.

“I don’t think she wanted a future with me. I don’t think my wife ever, really, in our life, loved me. She saw it a marriage of association based on who I was. I think my wife wanted out for a very long time and I think, regretfully, the way she made it happen is based on over-exaggerated and factually wrong allegations.”

The trial continues.