A domestic abuse campaign spanning six weeks has started in remembrance of Holly, Bramley, a 26-year-old animal lover from Lincoln who was murdered at the hands of her husband.
The campaign has been supported by Holly’s family; her mother Annette Bramley and sister Sarah-Jayne Lindop have teamed up with Lincolnshire Police and the Lincolnshire Domestic Abuse Specialist Service (LDASS) to help raise awareness of domestic abuse.
In an act that the police have described as ‘barbaric’ Nicholas Metson, 28, stabbed his wife at their flat, chopped her up in the bathtub then dumped her in a river in a Bag for Life. Holly’s remains were found by a member of the public and police recovered 224 separate body parts.
Detective Chief Inspector Rachael Cox, who is the police lead for domestic abuse, said:
“We are indebted to Annette. Despite her grief, she is determined to work with us to help us reach those experiencing domestic abuse.
“She is an inspiration and a reminder of why we do this job.”
Annette spoke to the BBC about her daughter’s murder, telling of how Holly was ‘smitten’ with Metson. Holly was known for being ‘sweet, kind and loving animals’ and thought he had met the ‘love of her life’ in Metson.
Annette told the BBC, in an emotional interview:
“When I think about what Holly went through. She couldn’t see what we could see. There’ll be many, many more girls just like that.
“She didn’t want to believe that the man she loved was this evil monster that we all knew he was. To her, I guess, he was the love of her life.
“He managed to convince her that anything outside of just the two of them was not important. He had convinced Holly that she shouldn’t have any contact with family. He stopped her from contacting any of us via social media. We were all blocked.
“When she reported him for being cruel to animals we said: ‘imagine what he could do to you?’ We couldn’t save Holly, but we hope her story can help others.”
Annette, Sarah and Holly’s brothers Stephen and Dale, could see the ‘red flags’, as Metson ‘swept Holly off her feet’ and made attempts to warn the 26-year-old.LOne of Holly’s brother’s discovered that Metson had been reported to the police for sharing intimate images of a former partner but ‘brainwashed’ his wife into believing he plead guilty to someone else’s offence. Metson had a history of violence and had been reported to the police for torturing his pet hamsters and a puppy.
Holly had also confided that her partner had killed her hamsters by putting them in a food blender and the microwave oven. She had once fled to a police station with her pet rabbits to escape him.
The couple, who had been married for 16 months, after knowing each other five years, were reported to be on the verge of separating when Metson repeatedly knifed her at their home. Afterwards, he searched online to ask, “What benefits do I get if my wife has died?” and “Can someone haunt me after they die?”.
From Thursday last week, social media posts tagged #ForHolly will highlight her experience and signpost help for victims of domestic abuse.
As part of the campaign, the next six weeks will focus on a number of topics:
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Clare’s Law – How it can help your or someone you are worried about
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Red Flags – What is domestic abuse?
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The LDASS – How the service is supporting victims and survivors
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Safe Spaces – How the rooms available in many pharmacies allow people to seek support without fear of an abuser looking over their shoulder
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A poem for Holly from her mum
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A letter to Holly