Luke Addis was jailed for over three years at Worcester Crown Court for coercive control and ABH (Image: handout)

Mum's 'life destroyed' by violent Birmingham Updates founder who threatened 'Money is power'

by · Birmingham Live

A domestic abuse survivor was 'broken in every way and left at rock bottom' after abuse by the founder of popular website Birmingham Updates. Luke Addis carried out a three-year campaign against his then-girlfriend, controlling her with 'morally-reprehensible' lies and threats to take her child.

The victim, who escaped with her young child, was financially, emotionally and physically abused between July 2018 and December 2021. Addis, 36, admitted coercive control and actual bodily harm (ABH) and his crimes were last week laid bare as a judge jailed him for three-and-a-half years.

During the hearing at Worcester Crown Court, it emerged she had been punched in the head and body, pushed down flights of stairs and kicked on the floor in a series of assaults. But the emotional abuse, she told the court, was "worse than the physical attacks."

READ MORE: Birmingham Updates founder jailed as campaign of gaslighting, control and 'web of lies' uncovered

To keep her from leaving the relationship over the years, Addis lied about having stage four cancer, pretended to be from a wealthy family, threatened to 'kill himself' and told her he would take her child away while asserting: "People with money can do what they want." He also threatened to leave her a single mother and 'put her in a council house' if she left him, the court heard.

Amid a 'web of lies' spun from the start, Addis, who is no longer involved with Birmingham Updates, told her he was from a monied background and had a trust fund he was blocked from accessing. She was forced into moving from one Airbnb and hotel to another with their young child as he falsely promised a flat in London - which didn't exist - and a £1million house in Hopwood - which had already been sold, the court heard.

Reading her victim impact statement out loud at Worcester Crown Court, she said she had "rebuilt stronger than ever" after finding the courage to leave three years ago. She told the hearing: "Over six years have passed since that first meet and three years since I found the courage to leave him.

"In the three-year period we were together, Luke absolutely destroyed my life. He broke down every part of my identity and physically, emotionally and financially brought me to my knees. I was a driven, successful, happy young woman enjoying my life.

"I was also trusting, naïve and gullible. Luke latched onto those traits and manipulated and played me so that he could abuse me in every sense. Over the years I became a shell of my former self, an isolated, terrified shell.

"The emotional abuse was worse than the physical attacks, I lived every day in a heightened state of fear, never knowing what mood he would be in, how I could avoid him and keep the peace," she added.

Domestic abuse

On one occasion Addis marched over to her, pushed her to the floor and knelt on her chest because she had "not met his expectations in making a sandwich for him quickly enough", the court heard. In another, the victim was accused of being a 'gold digger' - despite her funding his lifestyle and spending £30,000 in savings to keep their family afloat.

During the ABH assault, he punched her "over and over to the head, arms and body relentlessly", the court was told. The sustained attack also saw Addis push her over and kick her on the floor.

The court heard she was gaslighted and prevented from having contact with friends and family, isolating her for a significant period of time. To escape him, she would walk for miles with the baby in her pram, she added.

She continued: "Living in lockdown being stuck with him was horrific and I walked on egg shells every day, knowing the smallest thing could make him explode, even a phone call would be enough to escalate him and he would always lash out at me.

"He had to have someone to blame and take his frustrations out on. I lived and breathed every day for my daughter, she was all that mattered and I poured every part of myself into doing all I could for her. Luke knew the only way he could really hurt me was by weaponizing that.

"He would tell me if I ever left him, he would take her from me. He would use the words 'money is power' and 'I will take her from you.'

"I used to cry and argue back 'how could he take her from me when he did nothing for her?' I would do every feed, every nappy, every night waking, everything for her. He would just say 'people with money can do what they want' and that was the only reason I stayed so long, she was the only thing I cared about.

"I was terrified and consumed by how I was ever going to make it through and rebuild a life for my daughter and I, I had broken in every way, absolute rock bottom."

After escaping, "every waking moment" was spent progressing her career, including securing two promotions, alongside caring for her child. "I saved hard and I worked towards getting us our own house. I got her into a wonderful nursery, I started seeing my friends again," she said.

"She started to thrive, she was laughing and smiling and making friends. I eventually started to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Fast forward three years on, I bought us a beautiful home for the two of us.

"We have a calm, simple, peaceful and happy life - a polar opposite to the life Luke made us endure." She has since undergone extensive counselling to move forward from the "trauma inflicted" upon her. You can read more about the case here.

Domestic abuse help and support

Domestic violence or abuse can happen to anyone - find out how and where to get help.

In the West Midlands contact Women's Aid Birmingham and Solihull or call the confidential helpline on 0808 800 0028.

Advice from the NHS says that if you are at risk of domestic abuse or violence you can:

The Survivor's Handbook from the charity Women's Aid is free, and provides information for women on a wide range of issues, such as housing, money, helping your children, and your legal rights.

Anyone who needs confidential help with their own abusive behaviour can contact Respect on their free helpline on 0808 802 4040.

Have you been affected by this? We would like to hear from you. You can contact us by emailing stephanie.balloo@reachplc.com