Man, 55, reveals horrific injuries at the hands of his 'controlling' ex, 52, who was spared jail despite slashing him across the face and battering him with a burning frying pan
- Matt Kite, 55, left needing hospital treatment after being attacked by his partner
- Helen Fraser, 52, was given a 20-month suspended prison sentence for assault
- Couple shared flat where Fraser attacked Matt with a knife and a hot frying pan
- Matt suffered cuts to his face as well as burns to his back and woke up in hospital
- Now he is speaking out to raise awareness about issue of male domestic violence
- GRAPHIC WARNING: Story contains images some readers may find distressing A man has revealed how his controlling ex-partner launched a ferocious attack on him, slashing him across the face and battering him with a red-hot frying pan.
Domestic abuse survivor, Matt Kite, 55, was victim to Helen Fraser's violent temper which left him scarred for life.
One of the stab wounds on his face just missed severing a main artery.
In April, Fraser, 52, was handed a 20-month suspended sentence after admitting wounding with intent at Lewes Crown Court in April.
Now Matt, from Hailsham, East Sussex, is speaking out to raise awareness of male domestic violence.
Matt says: 'For years, Helen made my life a living hell. Every morning, I didn't know what I'd wake up to.
Matt Kite is speaking out about male domestic violence after his partner Helen Fraser left him with horrific injuries when she launched a vicious attack on him armed with a knife and a pan
Matt was left with serious cuts to his face and burns to his back after the attack by Fraser
'She had an awful temper and would make me feel worthless.
'Her sentence is appalling. I'm sure if a man would have inflicted the same violence on a woman, they'd see jail time.
'I just want other men to know they're not alone and not to be ashamed to speak out against their abusers.'
Matt first met Fraser when they were children.
It wasn't until years later in 2012 that they reconnected over Facebook. In November 2015, the pair went on their first date and hit it off.
Matt says: 'At first, Helen was a ray of sunshine. I'd spend every weekend with her and we got on like a house on fire.'
Matt and Helen had known each other since they were young and first started dating in 2015
When Matt moved in with Helen in 2018, he discovered a different more controlling side of her
But when Matt moved in with Fraser three years later, everything changed.
Matt says: 'Helen would yell at me if I hadn't done the washing up and nothing was ever good enough for her.'
Soon, Matt quit his job to be Fraser's full-time carer, as she had mobility issues.
During the day, he'd drive her around to run errands and at night he'd cook dinnerMatt says: 'Over time, Helen made me feel worthless and would complain if I went out to see friends and family. She'd call me useless and wore me down.
'Eventually, I fell into depression.'
In the last year of their relationship, Fraser began drinking heavily - sometimes up to 15 cans of beer a day.
By this point the couple were sleeping in separate rooms.
Injuries caused by Helen bled heavily and one was centimetres from an artery on Matt's face
Then, one day, in August 2019, Fraser complained about the mess in the house, so Matt went to bed.
He says: 'The next thing I remember was Helen on top of me, straddling me. Her weight crushed down on me.
'Then I saw a glimmer of silver. She was holding a six-inch knife.
'Terrified, I managed to wrestle it out of her hand.'
Moments later, Fraser stumbled off the bed and ran out of the room.
While she was gone, Matt hid the knife in a sock drawer, hoping that would be the end of it.
Matt has been scarred for life after the incident
But soon after, Fraser returned clutching a serrated kitchen knife.
Matt says: 'Before I could act, she lunged at me, slicing at my face.
'As the blade tore through my skin, pain shot through me. I screamed at her and put my hands up to protect my face.'
Eventually Matt managed to fight Fraser off and she fled.
Bizarrely, Fraser returned a few minutes later and apologised, telling Matt she loved him.
In shock, Matt crawled into bed and passed out with horrific injuries.
The next morning, he woke up dazed.
He says: 'I was barely able to get out of bed, so spent the day dozing. Helen came into the room and offered to make me a fry -up.
'But something didn't feel right.'
Suddenly, Fraser appeared brandishing a red-hot frying pan.
Matt jumped out of bed and Fraser swung the pan at his face, knocking him to the floor.
He says: 'I yelled out in pain as it hit my head. Then she smashed it across my bare back. I felt the hot metal scorch my skin. It was excruciating.'
Matt fell unconscious and woke to a police officer at his side in Worthing Hospital.
He informed Matt that after her attack, Fraser had called 999 and was taken into custody.
Matt said Helen would make him feel worthless and would go mad if he went out with friends
Matt says: 'The police officer told me I was lucky to be alive as the knife wound on my forehead was just millimetres from a major artery.
'I couldn't believe she'd nearly killed me.'
After receiving stitches and dressings for his burns, Matt was discharged.
At first, he was hesitant to press charges as he wanted to forget about the incident. But the police told him they would prosecute anyway and he agreed to testify.
Matt says: 'I knew Helen needed to be punished for what she'd done. But when the police charged her, she denied attacking me.
'I was disgusted.'
In April this year, Helen Fraser, 52, admitted to wounding with intent and was handed a 20-month suspended sentence at Lewes Crown Court.
Matthew says: 'Her sentence was a joke. She could have killed me.
'No abuser, no matter their sex, should get away with violence. Helen was such a toxic person I'm glad she's out of my life.
'Now I'm in a healthy relationship with a kind, caring woman who treats me as an equal.
'I hope I never see Helen's face again.'
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