Labour’s Shadow Minister for domestic violence was an ‘abusive bully’ who terrified her former husband and cost him £200,000 in their divorce settlement, a friend claimed last night.

Sarah Champion admitted yesterday that she was arrested and cautioned by police after attacking explorer Graham Hoyland during their ‘very acrimonious’ divorce in 2007.

But the Rotherham MP – who faced calls to resign last night – told a national newspaper the violent bust-up came after she had been ‘provoked for years’ by Mr Hoyland.

Miss Champion, 47, who had ended up in a police cell, claimed the altercation was over who would keep a valuable painting. She said: ‘I’m not proud of what happened and I accept I was in the wrong, but I have nothing to hide.’

Sarah Champion admitted yesterday that she was arrested and cautioned by police after attacking Graham Hoyland

But a friend of Mr Hoyland, 59, a best-selling author and mountaineer who was the 15th Briton to climb Mount Everest, last night accused Miss Champion of ‘distorting the truth’ and playing down the incident.

He told The Mail on Sunday the row was really about a pre-nuptial agreement signed before they wed in 1999 – and suggested it was not the first and only time she had hit Mr Hoyland.

The friend said: ‘In retrospect, Graham was stupid to have married Sarah. She was an attractive, vivacious woman but also very harassing and abusive during their marriage. He became terrified of her.

‘The argument that saw Graham call the police was over a pre-nuptial agreement. They both received cautions, which was something Derbyshire Police did at the time, but there was no doubt that Graham had called 999 and was the victim.’

He added that Mr Hoyland felt aggrieved, that despite the abuse and harassment he suffered during the marriage, Miss Champion still ‘ended up walking away with £200,000’ in the divorce settlement.’ Mr Hoyland said last night: ‘I can confirm I was the victim of the attack by Sarah Champion. It’s embarrassing to have to admit your wife attacked you, but perhaps this is an issue that needs to be talked about.’

His current partner of seven years, Gina Waggott, said: ‘Graham is still deeply disturbed by what happened during his marriage. He is very loving and caring and would never lay a finger on a woman. He still has nightmares about Sarah.’

Charities and domestic violence campaigners last night called for Miss Champion to resign.

Mike Buchanan, leader of Justice for Men and Boys, said: ‘Sarah Champion should stand down. If this was a male politician, it would be inconceivable that they could remain in this position having admitted that they have a caution for domestic violence.’

Mr Hoyland and his partner, Gina Waggott, pictured with TV presenter Clare Balding on the Cotswold Way

But Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn backed her to continue in her job yesterday, telling his party’s women’s conference in Liverpool: ‘I know everyone in this room today will want to join me in just simply saying this to Sarah Champion, “You have our total, full and absolutely warm support.”’

Mr Hoyland and Miss Champion met through her father Ron and started dating in 1994. She suggested marriage to him in 1999 via an answerphone message after he led an expedition that found the body of missing George Mallory on Everest.

The friend said Mr Hoyland paid off Miss Champion’s ‘considerable’ debts before they married. But Miss Champion said this weekend their seemingly happy marriage was ‘a lie’ and they were ‘living in a very strained, unbearable atmosphere’ before the 2007 row.