Lying helplessly on the floor, mother-of-four Joanna Hinchcliffe was convinced she was going to die as husband Adrian Geary repeatedly hit her on the head and pulled her hair like a rag doll.
The brave 37-year-old, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, endured four years of control and violence at the hands of Geary, 36.
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Adrian Geary controlled and abused Joanna until she felt he was going to kill her in the end Credit: HotSpot Media
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She suffered horrific injuries including a broken nose and bruises all over her bodyCredit: HotSpot Media
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Joanna began writing notes focused on how to be a good wife for GearyCredit: HotSpot Media
Apart from the frequent horrific physical attacks, Joanna had to abide by a sick list of rules, including speaking only when spoken to, and Geary ‘punished’ her if she broke them.
She was not even allowed to sleep in their bed when she was menstruating, instead he made her sleep on the sofa.
But because of his violent attack in March of this year, Joanna bravely reported him to the police.
Geary admitted attempted grievous bodily harm with intent and four counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Last month he was jailed for six years and nine months, with a further four years on licence, at Leeds crown court.
Joanna is now speaking out to help other survivors of domestic abuse.
She says: “I was haunted by the damage Adrian did to me. But I am determined to use my experience to help others. I’ve been given a second chance at life and I’m not going to waste it.”
Joanna met Geary in March 2020 through mutual friends.
Their relationship progressed quickly, and he moved in after only a few weeks of dating when Covid-19 struck.
Joanna says: “Adrian was amazing and treated my one-year-old son like his own.”
The former Towie star reveals she was in a domestic affair and talks about the ‘long road’ to justice
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Joanna says Adrian was “amazing” when they first met just before the Covid-19 pandemicCredit: HotSpot Media
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Joanna Hinchcliffe suffered years of horrific domestic abuse at the hands of her ex-husband Credit: HotSpot Media
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Geary inflicted horrific injuries on her like this when he forced their bedroom door against her foot Credit: HotSpot Media
In June of that year, Geary proposed to Joanna. But it wasn’t long before he started to change.
In August, during an argument, Geary slammed their bedroom door against Joanna’s foot, causing a nasty gash on her toe.
Joanna says: “He said it was an accident and I believed him.”
In March 2021, Joanna and Geary were married in a small ceremony with only two witnesses. But immediately after that, his abuse escalated.
Joanna explains: “I spent every day trying to please him, but I was just his slave. There were so many rules I had to follow, such as speaking only when spoken to.
“He humiliated me so much that I started limiting myself to 750 calories a day. He would even make me make him coffee in the middle of the night.
I spent every day trying to please him, and yet I was only his slave. There were so many rules I had to follow, such as speaking only when spoken to.
Joanna Hinchliffe
“It got to the point where he wouldn’t even let me go to bed during my period. Its rules were constantly changing, making it confusing and impossible to follow.”
Eventually Joanna felt obliged to write notes on ‘how to be a good wife’.
If she happened to break Geary’s rules, he would ‘punish’ her, in the form of physical violence or withholding affection.
Joanna says: “He isolated me from everyone until the summer of 2021. I had no one to turn to.”
‘He wanted to kill me’
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Geary gave her a black eye by punching her in the face Credit: HotSpot Media
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Joanna’s co-workers started noticing her injuries Credit: HotSpot Media
In September of that year, the couple were on holiday in a caravan in North Yorkshire when they started arguing. Geary punched Joanna in the nose, causing two blue eyes.
She recalls: “When we got home, I called in sick to work. When I finally got in, I tried to cover up the bruises, but my colleague noticed.
“I told him I was going to hit my nose on the corner of the table. He took me to a pharmacist, who said I had a broken nose.”
Two months later in December, during another violent outburst, Geary punched and stomped on Joanna’s ribs.
Joanna recalls: “I felt my ribs crack. I begged him to take me to the hospital, but he refused. The pain was excruciating and I couldn’t move for weeks.”
Joanna says Geary used anything he could find as a weapon, from Coke cans to phones and remote controls.
She was constantly covered in bruises from where he attacked her.
Joanna says: “I was desperate to leave the marriage, but Adrian convinced me that if I did, my children would be taken from me.”
In March 2022, Joanna’s mother died suddenly at the age of 59, but Geary only gave her three days to grieve, claiming he ‘didn’t want to see her upset’.
Then, in September of that year, Geary strangled Joanna while they were on a belated honeymoon in Gran Canaria.
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Joanna was compelled to write these notes Credit: HotSpot Media
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Geary was jailed for attacking JoannaCredit: West Yorkshire Police
Joanna says: “I thought he was going to kill me.”
The following year, in April 2023, in another horrific attack, Geary repeatedly punched Joanna in the head, causing a deep gash.
Joanna managed to call Geary’s dad, who came and took him away from the house. She escaped in a taxi to Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield, where plastic surgeons stitched her up.
HOW YOU CAN GET HELP:
Women’s Aid has the following 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.
- Learn about the silent solution, by reporting abuse without speaking into the handset, instead of dialing “55”.
- Always have some cash with you, including change for a payphone or bus ticket.
- If you suspect that your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a less risky part of the house – for example, where there is an exit and access to a phone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where knives or other weapons are likely to be found. Avoid rooms where you could become trapped, such as a bathroom or where you could be locked in a closet or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, the SupportLine is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during a crisis – [email protected].
Women’s Aid offers a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am to 6pm and weekends from 10am to 6pm.
You can also call the free 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
Joanna says: “At home, Adrian blamed me for drawing attention to myself. Until now, he didn’t let me go anywhere and no one could enter our home.”
In March of this year, Geary spent the day playing pool with friends.
When he returned home at 11:15 p.m., he pulled Joanna by the hair, before punching her in the face.
Joanna says: “He finally let go and I told the children we were going to Grandpa’s. I knew we had to get out of the house.
“But Adrian heard me and started hitting me and stomping on my face.”
Geary dragged Joanna across the floor by her hair and smashed her head against the TV in her son’s room.
He then dragged her to the landing and repeatedly stomped on her face, before smashing her head against the top step of the stairs.
Joanna says: “By some miracle, he let go and I told my children to go to our neighbour’s house.”
Geary called the police to report his assault, but claimed it had never happened before. Police officers were present and while some arrested Geary, others rushed Joanna to the hospital.
There they did a CT scan, which confirmed that she had suffered a concussion.
He finally let go and I told the children that we were going to see grandpa. I knew we had to get out of the house. But Adrian heard me and started hitting me and stomping on my face
Joanna Hincliffe
In September, Geary admitted attempted grievous bodily harm with intent and four counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
In November he was jailed for six years and nine months, with a further four years on licence, at Leeds crown court.
Joanna says: “I heard he’s in a category C prison, which I think is a joke considering how dangerous he is. But I am very grateful to the emergency services that helped me.
“I want other survivors to know that there is support out there and that there is a way out.
“I honestly thought Adrian was going to kill me.”
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Joanna is still reeling from her experience Credit: HotSpot Media
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In September, Joanna’s ex was sentenced to six years and nine months in prisonCredit: HotSpot Media
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The attacks on Joanna convinced her she was going to die Credit: HotSpot Media
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