The Student Room Group

Domestic abuse - The Rhys Culley case.

For those who don't know this story, a young man assaulted his girlfriend by biting her lip and smearing the blood over her face. He is now looking at a possible 10 year imprisonment. The media have picked on this case especially due to it's implications on domestic violence and the judge is apparently trying to make an example of him.

But, there are always two sides to the story. While you can find the newspaper's side here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2742218/Jealous-shopfitter-BIT-teenage-girlfriend-s-lip-bid-disfigure-away-work-feeling-insecure.html

But for those who want to hear the mother's side (and therefore Rhy's side) look here: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1541302829439184&id=1540862486149885

Basically the girlfriend emotionally abused Rhys to the point where he self harmed and cried about it constantly this would then explain why he snapped and while no one is saying he should go unpunished, there are calls for his sentence to be much lighter (especially seeing as paedophilles get lower sentences than he would).

After reading all this, have you taken a side? Do you support the girlfriend or Rhys? Should Rhys be let off or have a lighter sentence (or do you think he should have the 10 year sentence or even longer?). What implications do you think this has on the huge domestic abuse stereotype where it is always the women who is the victim?

I personally think he should be let off with a lighter sentence and I think this story clearly shows the media supporting domestic stereotypes to make the story seem more shocking. Emotional abuse is just as bad as physical, regardless of gender.

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You don't go biting someone's lip off because you're not happy in your relationship. Literally the worst excuse going.
The second link is even more biased than the first - I mean, it's written by his mother! It's completely understandable that she would want to absolve her son of some of the blame because he's her son and she still loves him. I also sympathise with what she is going through - I always think it must be awful for the family of people who do awful things because they've got to live with the fact that someone they love is capable of doing something like that. However, what he did was obviously terrible, regardless of she did what his mother said she did. It's not like he lost it suddenly and punched her in the face which sometimes happens with victims of domestic violence - he pretended to go in for a kiss and then he bit her lip. That requires at least a few seconds of premeditation and is a lot more vicious than even picking up a knife and stabbing someone in the heat of the moment.
Original post by ArtGoblin
It's not like he lost it suddenly and punched her in the face which sometimes happens with victims of domestic violence - he pretended to go in for a kiss and then he bit her lip. That requires at least a few seconds of premeditation and is a lot more vicious than even picking up a knife and stabbing someone in the heat of the moment.


Got to agree with this, I don't know the facts of the relationship but if you have to plan in some way it's hardly you seeing red.

But that said, you'd probably find that if a women had been abused by her partner for years (punched, kicked, locked in house etc) and stabbed him to death in his sleep, you could find an awful lot of sympathy for her plight than the man who'd died. Different situations clearly, but the point is the victim can "snap" without it being an event which only takes a second.
Reply 4
he didnt actually bit her lip off !!!!!, if the tables had been turned and she had bit his lip would she have been sentenced so harshly ! i dont think so.
a man rapes a 6 years old boy and get 5 years, thats not justice.!,
Reply 5
I think the bite must have been just the lip of the iceberg tbh.
Reply 6
Original post by Mackay
I think the bite must have been just the lip of the iceberg tbh.


Wahey. I'm a legend.
What emotional abuse did he suffer ?? None from what I read.

A lot of girls behave like that if being honest, most relationships have arguments.

No excuse for what he did, and there's no way it was an accident either. How could it be ??
Original post by sophiejoy
The whole point of the thread was to see both sides of the story and to portray how the media can twist a story so she is the victim...

Yet you go and take the "facts" you can only find from the media and say that he went in for a kiss before he but her. If you'd bothered to read the less "biased" opinions from members of both of their communities you would've known she was actually physically abusing him at the time of the attack, which he had evidence of.

I agree that his attack was in no way right, but don't reply to this thread when you haven't even read into the story, because you just sound like all the other naive members of the public brainwashed by media.


I did read it.

All she ever did was accuse him of cheating, and have some minor arguments about a haircut, and was slightly controlling.

really, so what ? he should have just left her.
"All she ever did was accuse him of cheating, and have some minor arguments about a haircut, and was slightly controlling."

Normal, everyday female.😄
You would think he would be used to it.
Reply 10
I've not read either of those links but if he was severely psychologically abused - and my answer would be the same if the sexes were reversed - then I can understand why that might be a mitigating factor regarding sentencing but it does not excuse his behaviour.
(edited 9 years ago)
I was in a marriage where I was emotionally and physically abused for 2 years, controlled and put in hospital by a woman. I was so embarrassed I couldn't tell anyone at first. Thank god I did. Eventually I snapped after being scalded with boiling water, she ran to the Police. I was treated like an animal, after questioning they realised the lies and read hospital reports about the abuse I received. Nobody, male or female should suffer abuse but more awareness about abuse whether it be EMOTIONAL OR PHYSICAL TOWARDS MEN needs to be shown
Reading her story was incredibly scary as it relates to my past with a violent ex boyfriend. The huge problem with men or woman who abuse their partners is they seem perfectly normal and nice to everyone including you till you're behind closed doors. The fact he had planned it and not just lashed out shows manipulative behaviour. 10 years may seem extreme but that young woman will always be affected from what he has done and personally the bigger the scare he has the better!
Men need to start being men again.
Also it wouldn't surprise me if what the mum said was true tbh.
Some birds are like that and some men are mugs
Even if you believe everything his mother has said, it still does not amount to anything which A) excuses his actions or B) mitigates them.
Surely, there would be physical evidence of her biting his thumb? Its not 'normal' to bite someones face, and i don't see how biting her lip when his thumb was in her mouth would make her mouth release his thumb, it makes no sense whatsoever. A natural defense would be to perhaps hit her to get her off, not clamp your own mouth around something clamping your thumb.

I cannot believe the social media bandwagon who have supported him, saying she should also be punished, psychological abuse is terrible but it does not in any way excuse what he has done. That was a vile act that would have taken a split second of thought atleast. If she genuinely bit his thumb, it would have been recorded by the police and it will come to light during the trial and his sentence will be lighter as he can put it down to self defence. I'm not holding my breath for that though.
I guess he could have just left her. That probably would have been easier in hindsight.
Reply 17
I'm not sure where the possibility of 10 years comes from, but if it's the way the media reports I'd say a custodial sentence of a couple of years would be appropriate.
Reply 18
He didn't bit her lip off, her lip is still there, please behave!!
Reply 19
As his family, yes it is hard for us, but what makes it worse is the small minded opinions from people who dont have a clue. 'He could have just left' i doubt you would be saying that to a woman who was being emotionally and physically abused. Her story has not been consistent throughout whereas Rhys' has. And as a person in here has wrote saying it was planned .. No way!!

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