Woman beaten, held prisoner and nearly murdered by her own son who filmed abuse on phone
Sunday, July 11, 2021
Helen Smith was taken prisoner by her son, Sean Wilson, 23, during a sickening eight-hour ordeal in March 2020.
Wilson even filmed himself slapping, punching and strangling Helen.
The torment only stopped after he fell asleep and the mum-of-one was able to escape and call the police.
In December 2020, Wilson was jailed for eight years.
Now, Helen, 44, is speaking out to raise awareness of domestic violence in families.
The health assistant said: "Sadly, people think domestic violence only occurs in relationships and marriages.
"But it can happen at the hands of your children too.
"I loved my son and never thought he'd hurt me like this. I'll never forgive him."
In March 2020, Helen Smith, now 44, suffered black eyes after her son attacked her (Image: HotSpot Media)
"I kept telling myself he'd grow out of it. But as he grew older, he was constantly angry.
"Sean would bite me, spit at me and throw things at me.
"It got so bad that when he was three, I sent him to anger management classes.
"It was horrendous and I really struggled."
Over the years, as a single mum, she dealt with Wilson shouting and swearing at her every day.
In 2016, her son then 17, got a girlfriend. The following year, in May, she came to stay with Helen and Sean for a weekend.
Helen says: "I heard them arguing in the living room.
"I rushed in and stood between them, trying to break it up.
"Suddenly, Sean threw me over the coffee table and I hit my head on the corner. I blacked out.
"When I came around, police officers were arresting Sean and I felt this sudden pain in my hand.
"There was blood pouring out of it.
"A police officer told me Sean had stabbed me with a kitchen knife.
"After all those years, I never expected him to actually harm me.
"I couldn't believe it."
In July 2018, Wilson pleaded guilty to one count of ABH against Helen at Woolwich Crown Court and was jailed for four years.
Helen said: "At first I was angry but after he was jailed, I felt so guilty.
"I couldn't stop thinking how my son was in jail because of me.
"Despite what he'd done, I still loved him."
After that, Wilson wrote to Helen from prison, apologising for what he'd done and Helen visited him every week.
She said: "I told him how he needed to learn from this and he promised he'd change. I truly believed him."
In March 2020, Wilson was released early from prison after serving two years.
When his probation officer was unable to find accommodation for him in time, Helen offered to take in her son.
She says: "When Sean came home, he seemed like a different person.
"He was on his best behaviour and was nice to be around."
But a week later, while Helen and Wilson were eating a takeaway, Wilson asked Helen for a fork.
Helen says: "He was right by the kitchen so I asked why he couldn't get it himself.
"He grumbled, so I went to the kitchen to fetch him one.
"But as I opened a drawer, Sean punched me in the head and I fell to the floor.
"Horrified, I asked what he was doing.
"He began slapping and punching the side of my head again.
"Sean then grabbed two kitchen knives and screamed that it was my fault he went to prison. I was terrified."
Over the next hours, Sean kept Helen trapped in the kitchen, while hitting and swearing at her.
She says: "At one point I begged for the toilet but he refused. So I wet myself.
"Eventually Sean dragged me into the living room and put me into a headlock and began strangling me.
"I thought I was going to die. He filmed it all on his phone too."
In December 2020, Sean Wilson, 23, of Erith, London, pleaded guilty to one count of ABH and one count of false imprisonment at Woolwich Crown Court.
He was sentenced to eight years. Helen said: "This time I felt no guilt and it didn't feel like enough.
"Now, I suffer with panic attacks and nightmares. I'll never forgive my son for this.
"He's a monster."