An expert regularly featured on ITV's This Morning has described the extreme trauma she suffered after discovering her then-husband was a convicted paedophile, revealing she scrubbed her own skin with bleach in a desperate attempt to cleanse herself.
The Shocking Discovery and a Drastic Reaction
Lynsey Crombie, a social media influencer famed for her cleaning advice and dubbed the 'Queen of Clean', was 28 weeks pregnant with twins when she uncovered the horrifying truth about her partner. The revelation left her feeling profoundly ashamed and afraid to leave her home.
In response, she turned to the one thing she knew best: cleaning. Crombie has told how she poured bleach over every surface in her house, and in a moment of deep distress, over her own hands and arms. "I remember pouring it all over the work surfaces, and over my own hands and arms and I scrubbed," she recounted. "I scrubbed everything - myself included - with a scourer." She described this drastic action as a coping mechanism, a futile attempt to rid herself and her environment of his 'germs'.
Premature Birth and a Life Saved by Her Children
The immense shock of the discovery triggered premature labour. Her twin daughters, Mollie and Olivia, were subsequently born weighing under 3lbs each. Crombie admitted she wrestled with the idea of having his children but felt she had no choice.
Despite her initial anguish, she now credits her children with saving her life. "They saved me," Crombie stated candidly, adding that she doesn't believe she would still be here if it weren't for them. She refers to her ex-husband not by name, but as "The Freak", and confirmed his offences were "the worst".
Moving Forward and Cutting Ties
Crombie revealed that her ex-husband has been imprisoned multiple times, most recently receiving a two-year sentence last year. Police found "content of children and animals on his computer". She claims she first learned of his previous convictions on their wedding day, but was falsely told they stemmed from a fight.
Looking back, she says she can now identify several red flags she missed at the time. Crombie has completely severed ties with his family and says her children have cousins they will never know. Her life has been rebuilt with her second husband, Rob, whom her daughters consider their father. The couple also have a teenage son together.
If you are 18 or under and have been affected by this story, you can contact Childline, confidentially on 0800 1111. You can also contact the NSPCC Helpline by phoning 0808 800 5000 or emailing help@nspcc.org.uk. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
