'It Would Start When I Was Asleep': UK Politician's Wife Alleges Rape By Ex-Husband

Last Updated:July 21, 2025, 12:16 IST

When Kate married Andrew back in 2013, he was 'very personable', she revealed, also highlighting how the abuse continued for years.

Kate Kniveton, a politician from the United Kingdom, alleged years of sexual assault by husband (Credits: Instagram)

Kate Kniveton, a politician from the United Kingdom, who served as Burton’s MP from 2019 to 2024, has opened up about the abuse she faced during her marriage. Recounting the horrific ordeal, she alleged that her husband and former MP, Andrew Griffiths, would sexually assault her while she was asleep.

She also claimed that her ex-husband would scream at their newborn and, on one occasion, even told their newborn daughter to “shut the f*** up" when she cried for a feed, according to a report by Metro.

Kate claimed that when she threatened to report him, he dismissed it, saying, “Nobody would believe you."

“People don’t think it can happen to professional middle-class people – but domestic abuse has no boundaries, it can affect absolutely anybody. When I was elected, I made a promise to be an advocate for victims of domestic abuse. I am traumatised – not just by the 10 years of abuse I experienced – but the following five years where he continued to use the legal system to abuse me," she was quoted as saying.

When Kate married Andrew back in 2013, he was “very personable, charming and charismatic", she revealed, also highlighting how the abuse continued for years while it looked like a “perfect" relationship from the outside.

“He was very personable, charming, and charismatic. In hindsight, I can see there were warning signs – but I always put it down to him being under a lot of pressure," she said.

“For most people looking in from the outside, our relationship was perfect, but the abuse had been going on for several years. Every time I said I was going to go to the police, I’m going to report you, he’d always say, ‘Nobody would believe you, Kate. I’m the MP here. I’ve got a great relationship with the police — they all think I’m the blue-eyed boy," she added.

She further alleged that she was sexually assaulted by her husband while she slept.

“It would start when I was asleep – I’d wake up and he would have started having sex with me…Sometimes I’d just think ‘let it carry on’ but there would be other times when I would cry. And those times he’d sometimes stop-not all times-but then he’d be in a foul mood if he did. I remember he’d be kicking me until he kicked me out of bed. And I would go into our spare room and barricade myself in another room for the night or leave the house," she claimed.

Kate, who separated from her husband in 2018 after enduring years of abuse, recalled the breaking point in their relationship when she realised her newborn was also in serious danger.

A family court ruled that Andrew had raped and assaulted his wife in December 2021, three years after he resigned as small business minister after allegedly sending over 2,000 sexually explicit messages to two female constituents.

Location :

United Kingdom (UK)

First Published:

News world 'It Would Start When I Was Asleep': UK Politician's Wife Alleges Rape By Ex-Husband