My abusive husband banned me from talking to other men and wearing make-up – when I found out he was cheating, he strangled me and threatened to rape me

A woman has revealed how her husband strangled her with a dressing gown cord and told her: ‘If I go to jail I’ll do it the right way’ after discovering his affair.

Callum Kenward, 27, from Oxford, attacked his wife Stephanie, 33, and threatened to rape her after a years-long campaign of abuse.

The criminal was later arrested and sentenced to 27 months in prison for intentional strangulation.

Now mother-of-two Stephanie is bravely speaking out to raise awareness about abusive relationships and using her right to anonymity, urging women to seek help from abusive partners.

‘For years Callum terrorized me. He controlled every aspect of my life until he crushed my self-confidence. Towards the end of our relationship, I became a shell of my former self,” she said.

“I want others to know there is a way out, before it’s too late.”

Now Stephanie is bravely speaking out to raise awareness about abusive relationships and waived her right to anonymity, urging women to seek help from abusive partners (pictured shows Stephanie’s bruises from one of the to attack)

Kenward (pictured in his mugshot) was later arrested and jailed for 27 months for intentional strangulation

Stephanie met Callum on Facebook in July 2018 and the two quickly hit it off.

At first he was the perfect boyfriend, showering her with compliments and treating her to expensive meals out.

But two months later, during a trip to Cornwall, Callum suddenly turned around.

“In the hotel room, out of the blue, he threw me on the bed before saying, ‘I don’t want you looking at another man, you belong with me,'” Stephanie said.

‘I was so shocked, but the next day everything went back to normal and I forgot about his outburst.’

For a while everything returned to normal, and in October the couple got engaged.

But as they started planning their wedding, Callum began to control Stephanie.

He demanded that she wear her hair a certain way and told her what to war.

Stephanie met Kenward (pictured together) on Facebook in July 2018 and the pair quickly connected. In the beginning he was the perfect boyfriend, showering her with compliments and treating her to expensive meals out

When Stephanie ended things again in 2023, Kenward threw her on the couch and said, “If I go to jail, I’m going to do it right,” and proceeded to strangle her (brands pictured)

In April 2018 the couple married, but by the summer Stephanie (pictured) had had enough of his abuse and ended the relationship for the first time

‘Soon after, he forbade me from wearing make-up and tight clothes, but ordered me to wear baggy tops and trousers.’

One day he punched her in the face after an argument.

Stephanie reported him to the police, but he convinced her to drop the charges.

They married in April 2018, but by the summer Stephanie had had enough of his abuse and ended the relationship.

‘Hours after Callum left, his father called to tell me he had jumped into the path of a truck.

‘He was in hospital recovering from his injuries. Feeling guilty, I agreed to give him another chance.”

Weeks later, Kenward convinced Stephanie to get a tattoo of his name on her left shoulder, but things did not improve.

“If we went shopping together and the cashier was a man, I wasn’t allowed to look at him or even talk to him.

‘And when I went to school I had to put Callum on speaker phone so he could keep an eye on me.’

In September 2021, Stephanie became pregnant, but unfortunately suffered a miscarriage after nine weeks. Callum refused to go with her to the clinic.

When Stephanie first ended things, his father called her to say he had jumped into the path of a truck.

Weeks later, Kenward convinced Stephanie to get a tattoo of his name on her left shoulder

She says: ‘One night, while I was grieving, Callum threw a piping hot chicken meal at me, before spitting in my face.’

In June 2023, Stephanie discovered messages on Kenward’s phone from a woman of his friend. He had an affair.

Distraught, Stephanie confronted Callum via text, ending things for good.

She says: ‘He just laughed and admitted he had been cheating on me for over a year.

“I told him I never wanted to see him again.”

Days later, while Stephanie’s children were with her father, Kenward showed up at her home and begged for forgiveness.

But when she refused, he became enraged and hit her on the head.

He then threw her on the couch and said, “If I go to jail, I’m going to do it right,” before choking her.

Finally he released his grip but started punching her all over her body.

Stephanie says: ‘I tried to run away but he pulled me back and dragged me upstairs into the bedroom.

‘There he pinned me to the bed and threatened to rape me. I was terrified.’

Stephanie managed to break free and fled to the window, where she shouted for help.

In June 2023, Stephanie discovered messages on Kenward’s phone from a woman of his friend. He had an affair

Distraught, Stephanie confronted Callum via text, ending things for good. She says: ‘He just laughed and admitted he had been cheating on me for over a year’

A moment later she felt Callum behind her, pulling on her dressing gown.

Then he pulled the cord loose and wrapped it tightly around her neck.

She says: ‘As I struggled to breathe, I banged on the window and thrashed around until I got free.

‘I fled the house and flagged down a passing police car.’

Callum was arrested and police officers recorded Stephanie’s statement.

In September 2023, Kenward admitted deliberate stranglehold and was jailed for 27 months at Oxford Crown Court.

Stephanie looked at him bravely for condemnation.

She says: ‘I did my make-up and wore a tight, sleeveless black dress so he could see I had hidden his name.

“I wanted him to know he no longer had control over me.”

‘When I read my victim impact statement I was determined to have the last word.

“His punishment was nothing for what he did to me, but I’m glad he was punished.

‘Now I am slowly rebuilding my life, free from abuse.’