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A woman has told how she was arrested and charged with “controlling behaviour” after asking her husband to help out around the house more.

Valerie Sanders, 58, from Catterick, North Yorkshire, said she was “treated like a criminal” for asking bodybuilder Michael, also 58, to spend a bit less time at the gym and a bit more time hoovering.

Mrs Sanders, a cleaning firm boss, said she had left notes for her him to do chores around the home they shared, but was stunned when police were called in.

Two vans and four officers reportedly turned up at the house to arrest her, taking her to a police station where she is said to have spent 17 hours in a cell.

The following day, Mrs Sanders was charged with “coercive or controlling behaviour”, a law usually used to protect vulnerable women.

Her case was thrown out this week before it went to trial, after what the shocked wife described as 14 months of “hell”.

“It’s outrageous it ever got to court,” Mrs Sanders told the Sun, insisting: “I’d leave a note asking him to vacuum parts of the house and clean the patio doors. We have two miniature dachshunds. But he would spend four hours cleaning his car – so of course I complained.

“Surely it isn’t controlling behaviour otherwise every married couple would be in court?”

But her husband, who she first met online, hit back: “I’m not sure if she should have gone to court or not. That was not my decision – but she was controlling. She was constantly on at me.”

The case was listed for trial at Teesside crown court on Tuesday but was dismissed before a jury was sworn in.

Mrs Sanders’ not guilty plea was accepted in return for a two-year restraining order.

The CPS announced the decision to drop the case, saying: “We prosecute cases where there is sufficient evidence of coercive and controlling behaviour.

"In this case, after a key witness decided to no longer support the prosecution, we concluded there was no longer sufficient evidence.”

The couple are now divorcing.

Mrs Sanders said: “17 hours in a prison cell broke my love for him. It’s such a relief it is all over.”