Wife, 65, who ‘utterly dominated’ her husband by poking him with knives, calling him ‘half a man’ and pulling his hair like a ‘schoolground bully’ in campaign of domestic abuse is jailed

• Glenys Downie, 65, was jailed for two years after she abused her husband
• She ‘controlled and assaulted’ him, making him feel ‘sub-human’ and ‘disgusting’
• The judge said she ‘humiliated and degraded’ him with acts of ‘utter domination’
• The husband says he ‘no longer walks on eggshells every second of the day’

A woman who exerted ‘utter domination’ over her husband by poking him with knives and calling him ‘half a man’ has been jailed.

Glenys Downie, 65, started a two year jail sentence on Tuesday for the ‘cruel and wicked campaign’ of domestic abuse against her husband of 38 years.

Downie had ‘controlled and assaulted’ her 67-year-old husband during their marriage, before he found the courage to report this to police in September 2021. 

She banned him from seeing friends and family, pulled his hair like a ‘schoolground bully’ and made him feel ‘sub-human’ and ‘disgusting’ over his cleanliness, a court heard.

She was found guilty by a jury at Portsmouth Crown Court, jailed for two years and handed an indefinite restraining order. 

Sentencing her, the judge said she intended to ‘humiliate and degrade’ him in a relationship of ‘utter domination.’

Glenys Downie, 65, (pictured) started a two year jail sentence on Tuesday for the ‘cruel and wicked campaign’ of domestic abuse against her husband of 38 years. She had ‘controlled and assaulted’ her 67-year-old husband during their marriage, before he found the courage to report this to police in September 2021

‘She made me feel as if my life was nothing and I was sub-human,’ Downie’s husband said in a statement read to the sentencing hearing.

‘She made me feel as if I was disgusting and unclean and subjected me to poking me with knives and hitting me in the face, and pulling my hair like a child.

‘I was in constant fear of her violent outbursts.’

He described how she would kick and punch him when she lost her temper, and he said he lived in ‘constant fear.’

He also revealed their marriage hadn’t been good for a while, but in 2019, things escalated as he was banned from seeing his friends or family.

The pensioner said ‘one of the happiest times’ of his daughter’s life – when she was due to get married – was ruined after Downie put them through ‘torture’ and made it into a ‘nightmare.’

Both daughters testified against her during the trial.

Judge William Ashworth, during sentencing, told Downie: ‘You intended to humiliate and degrade your husband. This is from the repeated ways in which you put him down, describing him as ‘worthless’ and ‘half a man.’

‘Much of your behaviour had elements of schoolground bullying – with you antagonising him. And because he refused to defend himself, you goaded him and used his failure to fight back to use as further evidence of his worthlessness.

‘There was such a gap between the two of you – with you holding all the strings in the relationship. He was without any say and did not have any ability to decide matters.

‘The relationship became one of utter domination.’

She was found guilty by a jury at Portsmouth Crown Court (pictured), jailed for two years and handed an indefinite restraining order. Sentencing her, the judge said she intended to ‘humiliate and degrade’ him in a relationship of ‘utter domination’

Downie and her husband were living in Swanwick, Hants, when she began regularly assaulting him in 2020 and 2021.

A spokesman for Hampshire Constabulary claimed she ‘threatened her husband with a knife’ and ‘taunted him for being fearful of her behaviour.’

‘The victim in this case also described Downie as a manipulative bully and said he was reluctant to ever go against her wishes as this made life easier for him,’ the spokesperson added.

‘Following the allegations being made to police, officers launched an investigation and Downie was subsequently charged with controlling and coercive behaviour. 

‘She denied the offence and the case went to trial at Portsmouth Crown court. Following almost three hours of deliberation, the jury convicted her.’

Edmund Wild, defending, said Downie ‘clearly maintained her denial of events’ but was ‘sorry to be (in court).’

Judge Ashworth decided prison was appropriate due to her having ‘no remorse’ or ‘prospect of rehabilitation’.

‘You drove him to lose two years of his life, so you will serve two years in custody,’ he added.

The victim said ‘Glenys’ wickedness was overwhelming’ and he is ‘slowly recovering’, adding he ‘won’t get back the two years she stole from me’.

But he said: ‘I no longer walk on eggshells every second of the day.’

After the case, Police Staff Investigator Laura Cummins, who led the investigation, described how domestic abuse is a ‘very complex crime’ to investigate and applauded Downie’s husband for coming forward.

‘This was a cruel and wicked campaign carried out by Downie,’ Ms Cummins said.

‘The victim, in this case, is an incredibly strong individual, particularly in light of what he has been through, and he should be commended for his bravery.

‘No person should ever be treated in this shocking manner, not least by someone they love and share a life with.’

She added: ‘Domestic abuse is a very complex crime type to investigate, with much of the offending happening behind closed doors and with victims being controlled, manipulated and coerced into complying with demands, making it even more difficult for individuals to report to police.

‘I hope the outcome of this case reassures others out there who are suffering in silence that this abuse can be stopped.’

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