WHEN Storm Gubby visited a festive grotto on Christmas Eve with her family, she had no idea their magical evening would take such a dark turn.
She thought husband Charles Bigrigg, 43, was joking when he accused her of flirting with Santa – but he was deadly serious.
On the drive home, sinister Bigrigg pulled over on a dark road, dragged Storm out of the car and launched a violent assault – while their terrified young sons screamed from the back seat.
Bigrigg was jailed for just 30 months for grievous bodily harm, but served only 11.
But that wasn’t the end of Storm’s nightmare, as upon his release he continued to harass her, and attacked her again in a hotel room where she was staying with her kids.
In January this year the thug admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault against an emergency worker, and was sentenced to 40 months in prison.
Storm, 40, from Milton Keynes, tells The Sun she is horrified by new prison guidance released last month, which states all eligible inmates should be released at least two working days before a weekend or public holiday.
It means convicted thugs and sex offenders will be let out almost a week early before Christmas.
“The thought of Charles and other offenders being released early is terrifying,” she says.
“Victims won’t be able to celebrate or enjoy Christmas – we’ll be prisoners in our own homes.
“I’d be terrified that Charles would turn up and finish me off. And my kids would be the ones to suffer.
“Victims are paying the price, not violent criminals. Why should they be released early just for ‘good behaviour’?
“Violent offenders aren’t being held accountable for their actions. No wonder they go on to re-offend.”
Storm is bravely sharing her story to raise awareness of domestic violence and to encourage other survivors to seek help.
“For years I looked over my shoulder, afraid that Charles would find us and kill us,” she says.
For years I looked over my shoulder, afraid that Charles would find us and kill us
Storm Gubby
“The fact that he was released early and went on to attack me again just shows he was still a danger and should never have been let out.
“Now that he’s back in prison, me and my children can have the life that we deserve. I want other survivors of abuse to know that you are worth more.”
Storm and Bigrigg met in 2010 and married the following year, but it wasn’t long before Bigrigg’s behaviour completely changed.
Storm recalls: “He stopped my friends from coming round to our house, claiming that one fancied me. He even hated me talking to my own mother.”
In 2012 their twin sons, now 11, were born, but Bigrigg’s abuse continued.
He even insisted on paying for a babysitter so he could watch Storm whilst she was working at the local pub.
“He accused me of flirting with customers, so wanted to keep an eye on me,” she explains.
“I convinced myself that he was just being protective.”
In 2015 Storm gave birth to another baby boy, now eight.
The following month, on Christmas Eve, the family went to their local sports club to meet Santa.
Storm remembers: “We had a great evening. Santa was a man in his sixties. He played pass the parcel with the kids, before sitting them on his lap.
“I was chatting to Santa about how excited the twins were to meet him.”
Santa was a man in his sixties. He played pass the parcel with the kids, before sitting them on his lap. I was chatting to Santa about how excited the twins were to meet him
Storm Gubby
At 9pm, when Storm suggested they go home, Bigrigg accused her of flirting with Santa.
Storm says: “I told him not to be ridiculous. I’d barely even spoken to Santa, it was nonsense.”
Bigrigg drove Storm and their three children down a dark road before stopping the car and dragging Storm out of the passenger side.
He then launched his assault, kicking her in the stomach, punching her in the face and repeatedly slammed the car door into her head – slashing her brow bone.
Storm explains: “I was in agony. The twins were screaming. Charles then drove off with our boys and left me in the road.”
Storm managed to walk back to the sports club before passing out in the toilets.
An ambulance was called and she was rushed to Milton Keynes University Hospital, where doctors checked her over and stitched up her wounds.
Whilst she received treatment the police took her statement.
Storm says: “All I could think about were my children. I was discharged later that night and found Charles and our sons the following day at his friends’ house. They were terrified.”
Bigrigg was arrested and in April 2016, he was convicted of grievous bodily harm at Northampton Crown Court, jailed for 30 months and handed a restraining order.
Scared of the day he’d be released, Storm moved away with her three kids.
But Bigrigg tracked them down and over the next couple of years he was in and out of prison for breaking his restraining order.
In August 2022, Bigrigg found Storm again when she was staying at a Travelodge in Northamptonshire with her sons.
Storm says: “At 11pm, I heard the door open. A hotel worker was leading Charles into our room.
“Before I could do anything he slapped me in the face before throwing me onto the bed and strangling me.
“I couldn’t breathe, and our youngest was screaming for him to get off me.”
Storm’s twins fled the room and flagged down a car outside who called 999, but Bigrigg vanished before officers arrived.
Storm remembers: “I went home and my children stayed with my mother. I had horrific bruising to my face and all the blood vessels in my eyes were burst.”
Bigrigg was arrested the next day, where he head-butted an officer.
He denied the attack, but pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assaulting an emergency worker shortly before the trial was due to begin in January this year.
In March he was sentenced to 40 months in prison at Northampton Crown Court and handed a restraining order against Storm until further notice.
She says: “His sentence made me feel cheated. He doesn’t deserve to walk the streets again after everything he’s put me and our children through.
“The boys are traumatised by their father’s violence. I struggle to leave the house on my own and have terrible flashbacks.
“If you’re in an abusive relationship, please don’t feel ashamed to get help.”
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
