Former CBeebies presenter Katy Ashworth suffered years of abuse by her ex-partner who ‘attacked her while she was pregnant and threatened her with revenge porn’, High Court hears

• Ms Ashworth said her ex-partner Ben Alcott was ‘controlling and manipulative’
• She alleged that he controlled her work and was verbally and physically abusive

Former CBeebies presenter Katy Ashworth suffered years of abuse by her ex-partner who attacked her while she was pregnant, a court has heard.

Ms Ashworth accused her former partner Ben Alcott, a television programme director based in Australia, of being ‘controlling, abusive, manipulative and coercive’, with his behaviour having ‘escalated over the years’. 

She alleged that he controlled her work and would be verbally and physically abusive towards her at time during their relationship, including while she was pregnant, the court heard. 

Ms Ashworth also claimed that Alcott installed spy software onto her computer to monitor her movements and implied that he was ‘going to use’ naked photographs he had of her. 

In her judgment Mrs Justice Arbuthnot said that Mr Alcott’s past was ‘littered with complaints of domestic abuse’ and described him as a ‘bully’. She added that Mr Alcott ‘denies all the allegations’ made by Ms Ashworth.

Former CBeebies presenter Katy Ashworth suffered years of abuse by her ex-partner who attacked her while she was pregnant, a court has heard

Ms Ashworth (pictured on the CBeebies show I Can Cook) accused her former partner Ben Alcott, a television programme director based in Australia, of being ‘controlling, abusive, manipulative and coercive’, with his behaviour having ‘escalated over the years’

She alleged that Mr Alcott (pictured) controlled her work and would be verbally and physically abusive towards her at time during their relationship, including while she was pregnant

Mrs Justice Arbuthnot examined evidence at a private hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London after the pair became embroiled in a dispute centred on a child, who lives with Ms Ashworth.

She outlined her conclusions in a ruling published on Tuesday and named Mr Alcott, who denied allegations made against him, and Ms Ashworth.

The judge said the litigation began six years ago when Mr Alcott ‘applied for contact’ with the child.

She said she had overseen a ‘fact-finding hearing’ after Ms Ashworth made a ‘number of allegations of domestic abuse’ against Mr Alcott.

Mrs Justice Arbuthnot said her findings were ‘likely to have a bearing’ on future contact between Mr Alcott and the child.

‘The mother alleges that the father controlled her work, he would be verbally abusive to her and accused her of being paranoid and crazy,’ said Mrs Justice Arbuthnot in her ruling.

‘He is said to have monitored the mother’s movements by installing spy software onto her computer and he was verbally and physically abusive to her at times including when she was pregnant.’

The judge added: ‘The mother says the father started a campaign within the media and ensured that Fathers For Justice worked to have the mother sacked by the BBC and organised protests outside the BBC against her.

‘Another threat the mother alleges is that the father implied he was going to use naked photographs he had of her.’

Mrs Justice Arbuthnot said Mr Alcott ‘denies all the allegations’ made by Ms Ashworth.

The judge said she found Ms Ashworth to be ‘credible’, and her evidence ‘compelling’. She said she had not considered Ms Ashworth’s evidence in a ‘vacuum’.

Mrs Justice Arbuthnot told the High Court in London (pictured) that Mr Alcott’s past was ‘littered with complaints of domestic abuse’ and described him as a ‘bully’

The judge said there had been ‘numerous complaints of abuse’ made to Australian police by other partners of Mr Alcott.

‘Over and over, there was a pattern seen in the way the father treated his partners,’ added Mrs Justice Arbuthnot.

‘The mother relied on this pattern as support for what she said he had been like with her. Her allegations fitted into this pattern.’

Mrs Justice Arbuthnot said she found Mr Alcott to be ‘manipulative and controlling of his partners and suddenly violent at times’.

She said: ‘There was an abundance of evidence in relation to his abusive approach to women,’ the judge added. He is a liar and has lied repeatedly.’

‘I find that the father has lied because he knows the truth will show he is a bully and is a real risk to any partner he has.

‘He is concerned that findings adverse to him may affect his contact with (the child).’

Mrs Justice Arbuthnot said Mr Alcott ‘knows his past is littered with complaints of domestic abuse raised by his partners’.

She added: ‘I also consider that he is unable to accept he is ever in the wrong. He always blames others, including the victims of his assaults, for what he did to them.

‘This is not a man who is just assertive, stubborn and plain selfish, this is a man who is an obvious and continuing risk to his partners.’

Katy Ashworth presented the CBeebies show I Can Cook, which ran from 2009 to 2012 as well as other programmes on the channel including Justin’s house, the CBeebies pantomimes and the CBeebies prom. 

Ms Ashworth has also worked as an actress, entertainer and singer, landing roles in numerous pantomimes and performing a one woman interactive slapstick show across theatres, festivals and other events across the world. 

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