A DOMESTIC abuse survivor has voiced an inspirational message of hope after her abuser was jailed for more than five years.

Giuliana Wheater and her family suffered years of emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her husband while living in West Somerset until the case finally reached the courts.

Nigel Fenwick, of Chilton Close, Berkshire, initially pleaded not guilty and a trial commenced.

But the jury was eventually thrown out and it was only on the first morning of the re-trial that Fenwick changed his pleas to guilty. And last week, he was sentenced to five years and six months in prison on four counts of cruelty against children.

During proceedings, the court heard how Fenwick used surveillance equipment to spy on and track his family, as well as not allowing them to be in the same room together without him present.

The family, or the ‘famous five’ as they call themselves, have been left exceptionally close after their experiences and now live in Taunton.

Giuliana said all of them have since gone on to achieve their goals and are doing more than just surviving.

“It’s not survival, it’s thriving,” she said. “You don’t tell your story for the glory, you do it in the hope your words will become the pages of someone else’s survival guide.

“I’m just an ordinary lady. I jumped off the cliff to freedom, but it’s absolutely terrifying to stand up to a bully.

“There are thousands of people in Somerset living in fear of abuse – I want them to know that there is another way.

“We are a really special bunch, always there for each other.

“It’s fantastic to see justice being served as the laws can be notoriously lenient when it comes to domestic abuse.”

Fenwick’s victims were four children, the youngest of which is now 12, and was accused of using violence as a way to control children.

In 2011/12, the physical assaults became more serious.

The court heard that Fenwick ‘forced the children to endure his frightening and terrible temper’.

On one occasion, he launched himself at his wife and pinned her up against the wall with one hand. The eldest son saw his mother being strangled by the neck and she was going red in the face.

On another occasion, Fenwick knelt on her ankle, which had been broken.

The court heard in a statement from James, Fenwick’s oldest son, that the mental and emotional abuse started when he was about eight.

Fenwick would pick James and his brother up by the throat while shouting at them.

As he grew older, James started trying to defend himself, resulting in fights between him and his father, leading to violence between the pair.

Oliver has autism and was described in court as a ‘particularly vulnerable child’ and when interviewed, said he ‘never felt safe’ and that he was ‘alert all the time’.

In December 2012, Oliver questioned whether the defendant was really going away to work in India rather than Indonesia, where it was believed he had a second family. Fenwick had promised his family he would not go to Indonesia.

He did not reply, but pinned Oliver against the dining room wall eventually dropping him to the floor.

One of Fenwick’s other children, who was only 14 when she was interviewed by police, said she was not physically assaulted, but saw Oliver being held down by the throat and gasping for air.

In 2013, the children were referred to a safeguarding team at school and they spoke of the violence they were subjected to.

Fenwick was ordered out of the family home and only allowed back 10 months later if he signed up to a ‘perpetrators programme’.

The physical abuse lessened and effectively came to an end, but the emotional abuse continued.

Ms Wheater stood up in court to read her victim impact statement.

She said there has been a severe psychological effect, whether children witnessed or were subjected to violence.

Giuliana has since been diagnosed with severe PTSD, chronic stress, and anxiety.

She added: “Since living apart from Fenwick the impact has been devastating on every level imaginable.

“The flashbacks are sometimes crippling. I have had no time to mend myself or see friends.

“I hope one day I will not feel broken, but the scars will always be there.”

She added: “There will never be peace for me as a mother. It is a sentence I will take to the grave.”

Sentencing, Judge David Ticehurst told Fenwick: “You are now 55 years of age. To the outside world you were a successful and charming man.

“What went on behind the closed doors of your family home was wholly different.

“You were a controlling and violent bully. Life with you in the family was a nightmare.

“Little remorse or regret has been shown by you. Your behaviour is now recognised as domestic abuse.

“The children lived in constant fear and terror.”

Fenwick was sentenced to five years and six months in prison.

He was also made subject to an indefinite restraining order against the victims.