Rapist's ex-wife fights for plot (From Free Press Series)

Rapist's ex-wife fights for plot

THE former wife of a rapist has spoken of her battle to erase his name from her daughter's grave and stop him from being buried with her.

Maxine Hawkins is locked in a legal battle with sex predator Christopher Harrhy over the ownership of a family burial plot in Pontypool.

As previously reported, Harrhy,aged 43, of Bridge Street, Griffithstown, was jailed for life on Friday for a string of rapes and sex assaults, and Mrs Hawkins' attempted murder.

And he still plans to be buried in the same plot as Mrs Hawkins' daughter, Nadine Morgan, who died aged five in 1995.

Mrs Hawkins, who yesterday spoke about her life with "violent monster" Harrhy, has revealed she is desperate to take over ownership of the double plot, in Panteg Cemetery, and change the name on her daughter's gravestone from Nadine Harrhy, to Nadine Morgan.

Both were found guilty of the youngster's manslaughter through gross negligence after failing to seek medical attention for her and served two years but Mrs Hawkins claimed she allowed Harrhy to organise the funeral because of the grip he had on her.

"It's crippling me - it's heart-breaking to know he can get in there with Nadine, after all he's done. Its like a nightmare at the moment," said the 35-year-old mum of one.

She added: "I knows he's got a hold on me as long as he doesn't sign it. "Nadine was never legally called Harrhy, she was Morgan, after my first husband, but we can't change the name until he hands over the burial plot.

"When Nadine passed away, my head was in bits, and he just dealt with it all - he was very controlling.

Harrhy was handed a form on Friday by Mrs Hawkins' solicitor, asking him to relinquish ownership of the grave plot. He refused to sign.

She is no longer in direct contact with her ex-husband.

Now Mrs Hawkins, who lives in Ebbw Vale, wants to be the soleowner of the grave plot, and to be interned there herself.

She added: "He knew I wanted Morgan on the gravestone, but he put it under his own name.

"The gravestone didn't go on until I was inside, but he'd already arranged it behind my back.

"He's an animal and I do not want to be associated with him anymore. He's put me through hell and back.

"Everytime I try to move on it's like being on an elastic band, I just snap back to where I was.

"He still thinks he's part of my life, but I just want to put him behind me and get on with my life."