HEARING an almighty bang, Charlotte Whomsley was startled awake.
Realising the noise was the sound of her front door banging open, the mum-of-two was struck by terror – she wasn’t expecting anyone.
The next thing she knew, an intruder was towering over her, but the mum-of-one quickly recognised the man inside her home as her violent ex, Lee Young.
Charlotte, 36, from Lincolnshire, was asleep on her sofa when he broke into her home whilst her son slept upstairs.
The quick-thinking mum used a trick she’d learned from a domestic violence Facebook post years before – she pressed her iPhone side button five times to secretly call the police.
It was then that Young, 39, from Leicester, horrifically sexually assaulted her – but the attack was recorded and listened to by police, before a team stormed the house to Charlotte’s rescue.
Charlotte has spoken exclusively to The Sun about her harrowing ordeal for the first time to raise awareness for domestic abuse victims and help save lives.
The bath and body shop owner says: “If I hadn’t known the emergency phone trick, who knows what else Lee would have done that night.
He used trackers to watch my house. He made me fear for my life every day.
Charlotte Whomsley
“I pray nobody finds themselves in a situation like I did. But if you do, please remember all smartphones have a way of calling emergency services quickly and discreetly.
“Make sure you know yours, as it might save your life. It saved mine.”
In 2014, Charlotte and Young worked together at a coach company. She worked in the garage MOT side, and Young was a coach driver.
She says: “Lee was in and out of the office every day, between his drives.
“We didn’t get close until the next year when I’d just given birth to my second child. I was suffering badly with post-partum depression.
“On top of that, his dad and I had broken up just before he was born. We already had another son, aged 5.
“It was a horrendous time in my life. I was very low and at my most vulnerable.
“I found myself drawn to Lee as he gave me compliments each day. He cheered me up a lot.”
‘Living hell’
The following year, in 2016, Charlotte and Young started dating but the relationship became turbulent right away.
Charlotte claims Young became “paranoid, controlling and jealous”.
She says: “He would call me disgusting and ask who’d ever want me. He was convinced I still loved my ex and accused me of having affairs.
“He used trackers to watch my house. He made me fear for my life every day.
“The mental torment was worse. I constantly tried to end things, but whenever I did, he’d harass or blackmail me.
“He sent hundreds of texts a day, calling me a s**g, tramp and threatening me.”
In one day, Charlotte claims she would have over 200 missed calls from Young. She’d blocked him, yet he’d call from unknown numbers.
He sent her photos of his blood splattered on the floor, some of him with head injuries, displaying bandages wrapped around his head.
Charlotte says: “I’d get new phones but he’d get my new number from work.
“Terrified he’d kill himself, I’d end up replying or answering the phone. Checking he was okay.
“For three years, we were on and off as I made numerous failed attempts to escape him. He made my life a living hell.”
In May 2019, Charlotte finally cut ties for good. But Young’s vile emails, texts and calls worsened.
Charlotte says: “He made fake profiles on social media, messaging me.
“Then the next month Lee smashed through my house door with a hammer, destroying my cars and popping the tyres.
“I was horrified. I stood in the kitchen begging him to leave me alone, calling 999. I had him arrested.
“Police boarded up my door and windows, they installed a special alarm, and I also installed my own CCTV.”
Domestic abuse - how to get help
DOMESTIC abuse can affect anyone - including men - and does not always involve physical violence.
Here are some signs that you could be in an abusive relationship:
- Emotional abuse – Including being belittled, blamed for the abuse – gaslighting – being isolated from family and friends, having no control over your finances, what you where and who you speak to
- Threats and intimidation – Some partners might threaten to kill or hurt you, destroy your belongings, stalk or harass you
- Physical abuse – This can range from slapping or hitting to being shoved over, choked or bitten.
- Sexual abuse – Being touched in a way you do not want to be touched, hurt during sex, pressured into sex or forced to have sex when you do not consent.
If any of the above apply to you or a friend, you can call these numbers:
- The Freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge on 0808 2000 247 for free at any time, day or night
- Men who are being abused can call Respect Men’s Advice Line on 0808 8010 327 or ManKind on 0182 3334 244
- Those who identify as LGBT+ can ring Galop on 0800 999 5428
- If you are in immediate danger or fear for your life, always ring 999
Remember, you are not alone.
1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience domestic abuse over the course of their lifetime.
Every 30 seconds the police receive a call for help relating to domestic abuse.
But Charlotte says that Young wasn’t deterred and found other ways to torment her.
She explains: “He’d send me naked photos of myself taken from when were together. He wrote underneath, ‘Shame if anyone saw these.’
“I had to see him at work too. I was caring for my sons and dealing with this all. I couldn’t cope.
“Eventually, in July that year, I got a molestation order against him, banning him from coming anywhere near me. I hoped it was over but I knew nothing would stop him.
“I worried every day that he’d come to kill me or the kids one day.”
I finally heard police sirens. The 999 trick had worked
Charlotte Whomsley
Horror break-in
Later that year, Charlotte tried to move on with her life, and began dating someone new.
In November 2019, after she’d been seeing a new man for a few weeks, things were quiet from Young.
She says: “I hadn’t been stalked or harassed by him in weeks.
“One evening, I went out on a date again. We went to a drag queen show.
“My brother came over to babysit my youngest whilst my eldest was staying at a friend’s for a sleepover.”
At around 1:30am, Charlotte came back to her home alone, where her brother and son were sleeping upstairs.
“Not wanting to disturb them, I drifted off to sleep on the sofa,” she recalls.
“But moments later, I woke to the front door slamming.
“I saw Lee towering over me. He looked scruffy and was slurring his words. I think he’d been drinking or taking drugs.
“I realised he’d broken in. I shouted at him to leave me alone and go away. But Lee was screaming at me for being a ‘whore’ and how he’d seen me with another man.
“I was terrified and immediately thought of my son upstairs. He was my priority.
“Trembling, I moved my hand and felt my phone underneath my pillow.
“I quickly remembered a phone trick I’d learned from a domestic violence Facebook post years before.
“I reached for my phone quietly under the pillow, and pushed the side button five times. It secretly rang 999 for me.”
But the trick made a deep alarm tone.
“Lee asked what that noise and I said it was the Alexa alarm,” Charlotte says.
“I kept my gaze with Lee, who turned around, and threw the Alexa against the wall.
“He then began smashing up the living room. He was throwing the kids’ toys everywhere, acting crazy.”
Charlotte knew the police were listening to the call. She began to cry, begging Young to leave the house loudly so operators could hear.
Charlotte says: “Lee had gone insane. Somehow, he cut his finger whilst smashing up a candle holder. He began scribbling blood on the wall.
“He then forced his lips on me, making me tell him that I loved him.
“He pinned me to the sofa and forced his hand into my pants, molesting me. It was so painful. I was crying for him to stop and that he was hurting me.
“He kept stopping and starting, it was all about control for him.
“After 30 minutes of Lee breaking in, I finally heard police sirens. The 999 trick had worked.”
‘Despicable lies’
As a team of armed officers neared the house, Young fled. Whilst Charlotte sprinted upstairs and scooped her son into her arms, before hiding in a neighbour’s garden.
Young was arrested in front of a different neighbour’s house.
Charlotte says: “Officers came to my aid. They told me they’d heard everything on the phone. I broke down.
“As I waited for the trial, I was in bits, suffering with panic attacks and flashbacks of the night.
“The police told me the attack had been recorded, and I stupidly requested to hear it. I regretted it as it sent me into a spiral.
“For mine and my children’s safety, I ended up quitting my job, selling the house and leaving Leicester.
To any women suffering from abuse, you can escape it. You must be strong, or you may lose your life
Charlotte Whomsley
“Sadly, the wait for the trial took years. In that time, in 2020, I luckily found love. I met Todd, 35, through work friends.
“The next year, we married and had a beautiful son. I tried to settle into my new, happy life. But I still hadn’t received justice.”
In September 2024, Lee Young, now 39, of Sharpley Drive, Beaumont Leys, was found guilty of sexual assault by penetration at Leicester Crown Court.
He was sentenced to six years and eight months.
Charlotte says: “In court, he told the jury that I’d been the one obsessed with him, ringing and begging. His lies were despicable.
“My husband supported me throughout. And thankfully, the jury saw Lee for the monster he truly was.
“Now we’re trying our hardest to move on with our lives now.
“To any woman suffering from abuse, you can escape it. You must be strong, or you may lose your life.
“I also urge women to remember the silent trick on your phone. Press the side button 5 times, and the emergency SOS slider will appear.
“Drag the slider to call, then make yourself heard by coughing or responding to your abuser. It could save your life.”
