Originally airing on Channel 5 and now on Netflix, My Wife, My Abuser: Captured on Camera has left viewers shocked - but what happened to Sheree Spencer after the events shown in the documentary?
My Wife, My Abuser: Captured on Camera, shares intimate details of Richard Spencer, a man who was the victim of domestic abuse for two decades at the hands of his wife, Sheree Spencer. Richard's experience is shared through written and audio testimonials from the case, and horrifying footage caught on nanny cams from the Yorkshire home he shared with his wife and three daughters. Most importantly, Richard's story highlights the plight of male victims of domestic abuse, which is more likely to go unreported.
Ture crime documentaries often do bring vital themes to the forefront of viewers' minds. However, these small snapshots into their lives often leave those tuning in wondering what happened in the aftermath of events - those tuning into Netflix's Sweet Bobby wanted to know what happened to the catfishing perpetrator Simran Bhogal, while those poring over details of This is The Zodiac Speaking, wanted more information about alleged killer, Arthur Leigh Allen. Questions are now being asked about the whereabouts of Sheree Spencer, after details of her crimes came to light.
Where is Sheree Spencer now?
Sheree Spencer is still in prison, serving her four-year sentence at a prison near York. In March 2023, she was found guilty of coercive control and three counts of assault against her husband, Richard. Alongside her sentence, Sheree has been issued with an indefinite restraining order.
During the court proceedings, Judge Kate Rayfield said, "This is the worst case of controlling and coercive behaviour I have seen." Speaking to the press afterwards, Richard said: "I have become resigned to the fact that I will never fully recover from her abuse and that it will have a permanent damaging impact on mine and my family's life."
What did Sheree Spencer do?
Prior to her conviction, Sheree Spencer held a senior position with HM Prison and Probation Service, and she and Richard had been married for more than 20 years. According to The Express, Sheree threatened her husband with knives and made threats to his life. She is also said to have controlled him financially, forcing him to take out loans for items she wanted.
It was also reported that she defecated on her husband and once used a wine bottle to attack him with, inflicting injuries that caused permanent damage to his ear. Richard, an IT designer, would often cover his injuries with makeup to allow him to take the couple's daughters on the school run and go to work without them being detected.
Installing the nanny cams in their home was actually Sheree's idea - when their eldest daughter was born, she wanted to keep an eye on her and thought they'd be a good idea. Richard collected footage from her attacks on him caught on the cameras, emailing them to himself to keep a record of what he was enduring.
Despite knowing there was a way her claims could be refuted, Sheree would often claim to be abused by Richard. She once told a friend he was abusing her, and when her friend confronted Richard, he showed her the footage of what was really going on. The horrified friend took the footage to the police.
A total of 43 images of Richard's bruised body were handed over as evidence. Richard said, "Sheree's abuse towards me evolved and escalated over time, she used repeated acts of physical assault, threats, verbal abuse, and humiliation to punish and exercise control over me. The abuse was hidden from the outside world, including friends and family."
