Bargain Hunt star Charles Hanson's trial was halted on Monday - with the jury being sent home. The 46-year-old TV star has been attending Derby Crown Court where he is on trial facing domestic violence charges - which he has denied and plead not guilty to. The trail stems back to his arrest in 2023 following allegations he put his wife, Rebecca Ludlam, in a headlock and he faced two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of assault and engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour.
A trial began last week, commencing on Monday 10 February and was expected to last between seven and 10 days. But this week, the trail was disrupted due to rail issues - leading to proceedings to be adjourned early on Monday. Reports emerged to reveal defence barrister, Sasha Wass KC, representing Hanson had become stuck on a train between London and Derby - where the trial is taking place. The journey from London to Derby is roughly three hours by rail, but by 11am, the jury was told to go home.
Judge Martin Hurst ordered the case to continue tomorrow, Tuesday, February 18. He said, per Derbyshire Live: "Miss Wass is not here as she is on a train which has very sadly collided with a person. I have made an executive decision to send you home until tomorrow.". Details of the case have shocked daytime TV fans who are used to seeing Hanson appear across a range of BBC shows auctioning antiquities. While giving evidence and reviewing allegations, it has been claimed that Hanson put his wife in a headlock during an argument in 2015.
The court was told that he: "gripped her so hard that it left three fingertip bruises on her arm" which "really hurt and caused her to cry". Prosecutor Stephen Kemp said Ludlam was "too scared to call the police". He added: "What she did do was, she took a photograph in a mirror of the injury to her arm shortly after this incident, and then she took another a few days later when the bruising had come out.".
Another argument said to have taken place in May 2022 involved Ludlam being grabbed "so forcefully that [Hanson] left a red mark on her shoulder" - with the argument alleged to have been over a kitchen design. Following an alleged incident in May 2023, Ludlam is said to have told her husband: "I shouldn't be scared of my husband, they are meant to protect you, not hurt you.". The court also heard that Ludlam "reached the stage where she felt she had to leave" her husband in 2023, before they engaged the help of a marriage counsellor. Hanson was arrested in 2023 but later released on bail - after which he released a statement where he denied all allegations made against him.
He said at the time, via the MailOnline: "I deny all the charges. I have never behaved aggressively or unlawfully towards my family. We have been through some difficult times in our marriage and it is extremely sad that this has become a criminal matter. I will be co-operating fully with the investigation and legal process." The case continues. Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads.
