Tweedy, 45, had secretly endured up to 12 years of physical abuse at the hands of his binge drinking school teacher wife Helen.
Helen Tweedy, also 45, had a long history of abuse even on the couple’s wedding night, when she kicked, punched and smothered Neil with a duvet before forcing him to sleep on the sofa.

Alcoholic School teacher Helen Tweedy [right], attacked Neil on their wedding night in 2008. She kicked, punched and smothered him with a duvet, then forced him to sleep on the sofa

Battered husband Neil Tweedy installed a spy camera in his home and recorded his wife Helen’s domestic abuse rampage for 2 months, which aided in her conviction.

Neil Tweedy allegedly, had nursed the futile hope that his alcoholic wife would change for the better. Consequently, despite temporarily leaving her, he would still return, refusing to report the domestic abuse in the home to the authorities.
But he finally took action after the arrival of their daughter, eight years into the marriage and the abusive behavior progressed, unabated.
Over the summer he secretly installed a hidden camera at their townhouse in Stretford, Greater Manchester, UK.
Over a two-month span Helen was filmed slapping her husband around the head and swearing at him, sometimes in front of their four-year-old daughter.
Police were called in after Neil, who captured three different incidents, feared his wife’s violent conduct would escalate and handed over the footage.

Nailed by video evidence: A drunken Helen Tweedy was caught on camera several times, physically and verbally abusing her husband this summer.

During the trial at the Manchester magistrates court, Helen admitted to three charges of common assault by beating and was issued with a restraining order banning her from contacting her husband.
The couple who met 16 years ago, to family and friends appeared to be a happy couple.
Prosecuting, Robin Lynch said: “Four years ago, their daughter was born.
“The first three years were described by the complainant as ‘amazing’ but the defendant began to drink in private and there sometimes there was some controlling behavior.
“In 2005 on a family holiday they were with the defendant’s parents and she shoved and pushed him and slapped him in the face. The complainant said from then on it became a regular thing.
“Despite this, they married in 2008 but that night he was assaulted and kicked and punched to the head and body. She placed a duvet over his head for the assault to continue and he slept on the sofa.
“A couple of months prior to these offences the complainant installed a camera to record her behavior because he didn’t think anyone would believe his story. That recorded three incidents.
“On the 2nd of June the defendant was verbally abusive, shouting and swearing and slapped him round the head. On the 21st of July she was sat on the sofa with the child and started physically abusing him. On the 31st of July the child was asleep upstairs and the defendant was again abusive.
”A couple of months prior to these offences the complainant installed a camera to record Helen’s behavior because he didn’t think anyone would believe his story. That recorded three incidents.”
In mitigation Helen Tweedy’s attorney James Street said: “This is a very sad case indeed – she pleaded guilty when she appeared in court for the first time in her life. Really, all of these problems come from a long-term drinking problem which has led to significant mental health issues.”
She was sentenced to perform 12 months of community service, with 120 hours’ unpaid work. A restraining order is in place for 12 months.
The ever loyal spouse obviously still full of affection for his wife, after the trial Neil said: “Helen is a fantastic and brilliant teacher and gets to work for 12 hour days [7.30am to 7.30pm]. She’s just so hard working.

Neil Tweedy [left], still had kind words for Helen [right], after her conviction for domestic abuse – She’s ‘a fantastic and brilliant teacher’ who has a ‘problem’ with alcohol

“The problem was just alcohol, she was admitted to hospital twice in the past year and could have died. Something had to change. It’s not the kind of problem where she wakes up needing alcohol, it’s just the binge drinking at weekends that’s caused this.
“Hopefully now she can get the hope she needs.”