The husband of comedienne Caroline Aherne, who died on 2 July 2016 after battling cancer, has alleged that she attacked him with knives, bottles and chairs. 60-year-old musician Peter Hook said he was "embarrassed and ashamed" by the abuse during his marriage, which he also says was exacerbated by clinical depression.

The New Order member and former Joy Division musician claimed in his autobiography, entitled Substance, that Aherne's treatment of him meant that he "couldn't in all conscience" take part in tributes to his former wife after her death at the age of 52 from lung cancer.

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'Yes I loved her, Yes she could be very funny, and there were times I felt privileged to have a private audience with such a great comic talent," Hook wrote.

"But she was also a very troubled person and nowhere did that manifest itself more than in our relationship."

In an account of their troubled three-year relationship in his autobiography, published on 6 October, Hook described in detail the violence he claims he was subjected to, reports The Guardian.

"She attacked me, using her nails to scratch at my neck, tearing off my necklace and ripping my top. It was proper shocking stuff.

"And although she was really contrite the next morning, it marked the beginning of some serious screaming-banshee behaviour — putting cigarettes out on my arm, attacking me with bottles, knives, chairs and other assorted furniture. It would be set off by the slightest thing — talking or looking at another woman was a favourite."

Aherne's brother says disgusted by claims

Meanwhile, Aherne's brother Patrick has expressed anger over the claims made by Hook and which were published in most of the tabloids.

"Hook was married to my sister over 20 years ago and they were divorced because the marriage did not work well. What sort of man would make these claims after the death of Caroline? Is this because she is not here to defend herself?"

He continued: "I know the general public will now realise what type of individual Hook is and I sincerely hope that they do not waste their money on his book," reported News Magazine.

Meanwhile, there was anger on social media at what some saw as the insensitivity of Hook's remarks. Mike McDonagh said on Facebook: "It was no secret that she suffered from depression, she told the world she had done things she was not proud of. Let those who have died, die in peace with themselves and stop stirring up things that cannot be answered or defended."