Olympic runner Curtis Robb has been acquitted of controlling and coercive behaviour against his wife, GP Sarah Robb, following a trial at Chester Crown Court. The 54-year-old, who represented Great Britain in the 800 metres at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics, was also found not guilty of suffocation.
Prosecutors alleged that between December 2015 and August 2023, Mr Robb subjected his wife to constant criticism, name-calling, and physical violence, including an incident where he allegedly held a pillow over her face during a family holiday in the Lake District in Easter 2023. The jury deliberated for approximately four hours before returning the not guilty verdict.
Mrs Robb, 47, reported her husband to police in October 2023, claiming he had punched her during pregnancy and belittled her role as a GP. She also alleged he called her a 'manipulative bitch' and 'neurotic'. In his defence, Mr Robb, an orthopaedic surgeon, denied the accusations and claimed he had suffered verbal and physical abuse from his wife.
The couple, who met as junior doctors in Sheffield and married in 2010, have three children. Mr Robb, who works at Warrington Hospital, was suspended from patient-facing duties after being charged in April 2025. The court heard that the relationship had deteriorated, with Mr Robb telling detectives: 'My wife is never happy which is why we are in this scenario.'
