Leigh Matthews, a 40-year-old man from Canterbury, Kent, was convicted at Canterbury Crown Court for a series of violent and sexual offences against his wife, Zoe Matthews, spanning from 2017 to 2025. The abuse began shortly after the couple met on a dating website in April 2016 and quickly escalated from verbal attacks to severe physical violence and coercive control.
The relationship started promisingly, with Matthews described by Zoe as 'bubbly, friendly and chatty'. However, within months, he became verbally abusive towards her and her family. The first major incident occurred when he pinned Zoe against a wall by her throat after she challenged his behaviour around their children. Despite this, Zoe, who was pregnant with their first child, hoped for change and even supported him during his brief imprisonment in November 2016 for breaching a restraining order against a previous partner.
- In May 2018, while Zoe was pregnant with their second child and holding their first, Matthews wrecked their daughter's bedroom over a minor dispute and kicked a door into Zoe's arm, causing a deep gash that required stitches.
- He repeatedly trapped Zoe inside their home by screwing windows shut and parking his van to block the door, leaving her with no escape except passing the children through a small window.
- Approximately two years into the relationship, Matthews strangled Zoe unconscious on the floor while their children were present, leaving her disoriented and requiring help from her sister.
- In September 2024, after Zoe confronted him about infidelity, he grabbed her throat, headbutted her twice, struck her further, and dragged her down the stairs by her ankles.
The abuse took a severe toll on Zoe's mental health, driving her to attempt suicide by overdosing on medication. She concealed bruises with sunglasses during school runs to hide the violence from others. The final assault occurred on 10 February 2025, just minutes after Zoe began filling out divorce papers on the sofa. Matthews sexually assaulted her despite her protests, followed her to the bedroom, and raped her. Zoe later reflected, 'Leigh took something from me that night that I'm never going to get back. He made me feel dirty, cheap and like a possession – there's nothing more to it.'
Two days later, on 12 February 2025, Zoe fled to a nearby Morrisons supermarket under the pretence of shopping and contacted the police. Matthews was arrested and charged. He maintained his innocence, forcing Zoe to testify at trial in October 2025. The jury convicted him of coercive behaviour, two counts of occasioning actual bodily harm, intentional strangulation, sexual assault, assault by penetration, and rape. In his victim impact statement, Zoe expressed profound fear, stating, 'I truly believe he will try and come back to my house as soon as he can... I really believe he will do this one day,' fearing for her life upon his release.
The case was reported by KentOnline in an exclusive interview with Zoe, who waived her anonymity to raise awareness. Matthews' actions, rooted in a need for control, shattered their family, leaving Zoe with PTSD, nightmares, and lasting scars. This comprehensive account draws from Zoe's firsthand testimony and court records from Canterbury Crown Court.