THE CASE of a strangled wife who dropped charges against her abusive husband has haunted South Swindon MP all his career.

As a 24-year-old barrister, Robert Buckland was tasked to defend a Welshman accused of strangling his wife with such force her eyes had turned bloodshot and bruised.

When the case came to Carmarthen Crown Court the woman said she did not want to give evidence against her husband. Called to the witness stand by the judge, she said she still loved her partner and did not want to put him through the stress of a crown court trial.

“I was left thinking, ‘Is that really the end?’ Was it in fact just the beginning of the domestic abuse that we all recognise?” he said.

Mr Buckland told the story as he presented the government’s Domestic Abuse Bill in the House of Commons this month. “That story has haunted me all my professional life,” he told MPs.

If made law, it would create new court orders designed to protect victims, ban alleged perpetrators from cross examining their victims in court and enshrine in law a scheme that allows those concerned about a partner to check if they have a history of domestic abuse.

The bill has been generally welcomed. However, campaigners fear it will do little to reverse the cuts that have been made to refuges since 2010. Concerns have been raised too about the number of abusers released without bail conditions while crimes are investigated.

Mr Buckland told the Adver the government was urgently looking at the issue: “It is highly concerning that individuals, some of whom might have a history or a pattern of abusive behaviour, being released under investigation and no conditions are placed upon them.”