Ex-CBeebies presenter ‘attacked while pregnant by ex-partner who threatened to share naked photos in campaign of abuse’
A FORMER CBeebies presenter was attacked while pregnant by her ex who also threatened to share naked photos of her, the High Court heard.
Popular TV host Katy Ashworth has accused Ben Alcott of being a "bully" who subjected her to years of domestic abuse.
The children's TV presenter claims Alcott became "controlling, abusive, manipulative and coercive" as his behaviour "escalated".
Katy, 38, told the High Court he was "paranoid and crazy" and was verbally abusive towards her.
She has also accused Alcott of starting a campaign to have her sacked from the BBC and says he staged protests outside the broadcaster's headquarters.
Katy presented the CBeebies show I Can Cook between 2009 and 2022.
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She also appeared in the CBeebies pantomimes and the CBeebies prom during her time at the children's channel.
Listing the alleged abuse, Mrs Justice Arbuthnot said: "He is said to have monitored the mother's movements by installing spy software onto her computer and he was verbally and physically abusive to her at times including when she was pregnant.
"Another threat the mother alleges is that the father implied he was going to use naked photographs he had of her."
The claims were made in the Family Division of the High Court after a bitter custody battle erupted between the former couple.
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Mrs Justice Arbuthnot named both Katy and Alcott, an Australia-based TV programme director, in her ruling yesterday.
The judge told how she oversaw a "fact-finding hearing" after Katy made a "number of allegations of domestic abuse" against Alcott, who denies the claims.
She told the court there had been "numerous complaints of abuse" made to Australian police by other partners of Alcott.
Mrs Justice Arbuthnot added: "Over and over, there was a pattern seen in the way the father treated his partners.
"The mother relied on this pattern as support for what she said he had been like with her.
"Her allegations fitted into this pattern."
Calling Katy "credible", the judge said she found Alcott to be "manipulative and controlling of his partners and suddenly violent at times".
She added: "There was an abundance of evidence in relation to his abusive approach to women.
"He is a liar and has lied repeatedly.
"I find that the father has lied because he knows the truth will show he is a bully and is a real risk to any partner he has.
"He is concerned that findings adverse to him may affect his contact with (the child)."
How you can get help
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service - available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
Mrs Justice Arbuthnot also ruled Alcott "knows his past is littered with complaints of domestic abuse raised by his partners".
She continued: "I also consider that he is unable to accept he is ever in the wrong.
"He always blames others, including the victims of his assaults, for what he did to them.
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"This is not a man who is just assertive, stubborn and plain selfish, this is a man who is an obvious and continuing risk to his partners."
After her career as a children's TV presenter, Katy made her hobby of drawing and painting into a business and now runs a succesfull Etsy shop 'creating watercolour family portraits for people across the world'.
