Annette Bramley says Holly’s Law would stop perpetrators acquiring pets and raise awareness of domestic abuse link
Annette Bramley fondly remembers her daughter Holly as being family-oriented and a lover of animals. “She adored anything small and furry, or even not. I mean, she thought orangutans were beautiful,” she said.
When Holly ended up in a controlling and abusive relationship, her husband, Nicholas Metson, was quick to use this passion against her. He bought Holly a puppy and then tried to kill it by putting it in a washing machine at their home in Lincoln. After it was rescued by Holly, he drowned it in a bath.
He went on to kill and abuse numerous hamsters, rabbits and guinea pigs over the course of their seven-year relationship. Annette said she thought he used the threat of animal abuse to force Holly to do what he wanted.
“I didn’t think he would stop at animals. I knew the connection between animal abuse and domestic abuse,” she said. “When the police came to the door, we knew nothing else could possibly have happened to her. We didn’t suspect a car accident or anything like that; we just said: ‘What has he done to her?’”
