CORRIE CAT

HOT tub killer Shaun Alexander bullied and manipulated his former wife just like Coronation Street control freak Charlie Stubbs, she has revealed.

Evil Alexander tormented and beat his first wife Karen Crombie.

And 32-year-old Alexander - who was caged last week for slaying his ex-wife Nicola Johnston and her new boyfriend Kevin Braid - also pulled a knife on Karen.

Alexander regularly punched blonde Karen when she came home later than expected - and stalked her when she finally plucked up the courage to leave him.

Karen, who married Alexander after a whirlwind four-month romance, believes she was lucky to escape his violent mood swings.

She said: "I wanted to get Shaun sectioned but my dad told me I would never forgive myself if I did.

Now I can't forgive myself that I didn't. I've been dwelling a lot on things since the murders and think maybe if I'd done something about it that poor lassie would still be alive today.

"My dad says he watches Charlie manipulating his on-screen lover Shelley in Coronation Street and he thinks of me and Shaun all over again."

In Corrie, Charlie has been emotionally abusing barmaid Shelley with comments about her weight.

Karen, 32, met Alexander at a club in Glenrothes. The pair dated, to the disgust of Karen's family who had quickly seen through his charm. And little did Karen know he was already engaged. She said: "I found out one day when I hadn't heard from him and phoned his home: A woman answered and hung up.

"When I phoned back again, she hung up a second time. I went to the house to confront her and she said she was Shaun's fiancee.

"I was devastated and broke down and the woman invited me in and started telling me how Shaun kicked and hit her for no reason.

"I couldn't believe we were talking about the same person. At the time I didn't want to know."

Ignoring her advice , Karen, then just 20, went ahead and married Alexander at Glenrothes Registry Office, Fife, in June 1993.

But within weeks she knew she'd made a terrible mistake. "I went out one night to the shop to get something for our dinner and, because I'd been away longer than he expected, when I got back he punched me in the face," said Karen, recall-ing that it happened again after she stayed "later than I should have" at her parents' house.

But worse was to come - after she finally left him. She revealed: "One day he phoned me and asked me to come over and see his sister's kids who I was quite close to. I agreed to go providing his sister was there. But when I arrived she wasn't there and he started pleading with me to talk to him.

"I suggested going in the car somewhere public. But as soon as I parked, he produced a knife and demanded I get in the back of the car. I did that and he drove off saying 'You're going to be with me, you're going to be with me' - keeping the knife on me the whole time.

"I found myself telling him I loved him just so he would calm down. Eventually he did and we drove to his brother's house in Kirkcaldy and he went to the bedroom because he wanted sex. I was so scared I didn't want to say no to him so I had sex with him.

"When I went back to my parents house, I broke down as soon as I walked through the door."

Alexander's rage tragically resulted in the murders of his third wife Nicola, 23, and her lover Kevin Braid, as they relaxed in a hot tub.

Karen - too scared of reprisals to have her picture taken - said: "I feel so sorry for the families but I feel lucky to get away with my own life."

Copyright 2005 MGN LTD
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