A jealous husband carried out a fierce revenge attack on his wife by smashing into her BMW before throwing her down the stairs when he discovered texts from a mystery man.
Michael Wraeg-Cardew, from Bramhall, Greater Manchester, carried out the assault on wife Carly after he grabbed her phone while it was charging and discovered a series of exchanges with a contact listed as Mister Mister.
The senior university lecturer has since appeared at Manchester Magistrates’ Court where he admitted assault by beating, criminal damage and using threatening behaviour.
He was sentenced to six-months jail suspended for two years.
Michael Wraeg-Cardew (right) carried out the attack on wife Carly (left) after he grabbed her phone while it was charging and discovered a series of exchanges with a contact listed as Mister Mister
Mr Wraeg-Cardew grabbed his wife’s phone, which had been left to charge, and took it with him on a ‘shopping errand’ in an attempt to confirm his suspicions that she was having an affair.
His 35-year-old wife quickly realised her device was missing and knew that he would likely find messages that he ‘wouldn’t like’.
She chased after him in her BMW 5 series car but as she pulled up alongside his vehicle Mr Wraeg-Cardew angrily wound down his car window and shouted: ‘Who is this Mister Mister?’
He then rang the mystery number on his wife’s device and shouted ‘I’m coming for you’ before reversing twice into Mrs Wraeg-Cardew’s car as she tried to drive away.
The 36-year-old father-of-one followed his wife home where he repeatedly kicked her vehicle, chased her into the house and pinned her arms to her sides.
The court heard that the confrontation took place at around 10pm on June 25 last year as the couple’s five-year marriage was crumbling. Pictured: The couple on their wedding day
He then dragged her down a flight of stairs before locking her out of the property.
Mrs Wraeg-Cardew, who is course leader for an International Fashion Promotion BA degree at Manchester Metropolitan University, suffered bruising during the attack and her car was written off after sustaining £7,138 worth of damage.
In a victim personal statement to police Mrs Wraeg-Cardew, from Bury, said: ‘The constant bickering has taken its toll and I have undergone numerous emotions over it all.
‘I wanted to avoid taking action but he left me with no choice due his continued barrage of verbal and written abuse.
‘I want to feel safe in my own home and move forward with my life.’
The mystery friend who had been saved in her phone as ‘Mister Mister’ was not identified.
The court heard that the confrontation took place at around 10pm on June 25 last year as the couple’s five-year marriage was crumbling.
The senior university lecturer has since appeared at Manchester Magistrates’ Court where he admitted assault by beating, criminal damage and using threatening behaviour. He was sentenced to six-months jail suspended for two years
Prosecutor Lucy Garside said: ‘[Mrs Wraeg-Cardew’s] phone had been charging on the bed when the defendant said he was going to the shop.
‘She then noticed her phone had gone and knew the defendant had taken it and she knew there were messages on her phone he wouldn’t like so she followed him in her vehicle.
‘She approached the defendant in her car and got out but he started to ask who is this “Mister Mister” and started to video call her friend.
‘The friend answered and he said: “I’m going to come for you” during that conversation.
‘The complainant then got back into her car to return home but he reversed his car into the front of her BMW a couple of times at speed causing a lot of damage.
‘In fact he hit the car with such force it caused her vehicle to move backwards.
‘He then followed her to the property, pulled up outside then started to kick her car multiple times causing it to dent and he also made scratch marks on the driver’s side window.
Mrs Wraeg-Cardew described being verbally abused by her husband in a subsequent foul-mouthed confrontation in the middle of the street
‘She was asking him to stop but he entered the property and they both ended up upstairs.
‘She says he got hold of both of her arms gripping her tightly.
‘The defendant then manhandled her down the stairs and she describes how at one point she grabbed hold of him as she felt she was going to fall down the stairs.
‘She had a bruise on her hip which was hit on the way down and she had bruises on her arm.
‘She describes when they got to the bottom she was pushed out and locked out by the defendant.’
It is thought Mr Wraeg-Cardew moved out after the argument but the following day he uploaded content to Facebook that he had lifted from her mobile phone.
Miss Garside added: ‘This caused her embarrassment and she felt harassed and upset because of that… later that evening she received a call from the defendant.
‘He attended her address and rang the doorbell and she unplugged it as she knew he would continue to do it.
Mrs Wraeg-Cardew (left and right(, who is course leader for an International Fashion Promotion BA degree at Manchester Metropolitan University, suffered bruising during the attack and her car was written off after sustaining £7,138 worth of damage
‘She shouted at the defendant to go away or she would call the police but heard one of the sensors in the back lounge on one of the internal fire doors.
‘She could hear the defendant trying to force the lock open on that door which has damage to the frame.
‘She noticed there was a screw driver on the radiator which the defendant had used to try and gain access and break the handle on the door.’
Miss Garside went on to say that the next month Mrs Wraeg-Cardew was verbally abused by her husband in a subsequent foul-mouthed confrontation.
She said: ‘On the July 21 the defendant was at the property and was meant to drop their daughter off but he became aggressive and started to shout in the street saying ‘you’re a f***ing lying sl*g’ and ‘you’re a f***ing wh***’ before reciting messages he had seen on her phone.
‘He said “you’re getting all this now because you’re still lying”.
‘She told him to get back in his car.
‘She says after 15 minutes she couldn’t take any more abuse and went back into the house.
‘When she came back out at 7pm he started shouting again and being aggressive outside of the house.
‘He made threats in relation to her friend and made mention that he would be prepared to go to prison.
‘This was a revenge attack which took place because he had seen messages on her phone he wasn’t happy with.’
In mitigation, defence barrister Roger Taylor said: ‘Unfortunately things deteriorated very much and there was a lot of unhappiness in the marriage.
‘He had caught her out and it was very upsetting for him and he behaved poorly.
‘People do get upset in such circumstances but he now accepts you have got to walk away if you can.
‘Since then there has been no reported difficulties.
‘It is always encouraging to see how parents whatever difficulties they have with each other can concentrate on the child.
‘Contact has taken place since then there has been no issues.’
Mr Wraeg-Cardew was sentenced to six-months jail suspended for two years after he admitted assault by beating, criminal damage and using threatening behaviour.
He was also ordered to pay £650 prosecution costs with £115 victim surcharge. No compensation was ordered.