Love Island star Joe Garratt's mum says she is 'devastated' by abuse row
LOVE Island's Joe Garratt's mum is "devastated" by claims her son has been "emotionally controlling" Lucie Donlan.
The sandwich maker sparked up a romance with the Cornish surfer in the villa, but was booted out in last night's episode after fellow Islanders thought he and Lucie were not compatible.
Speaking to the Mail Online, she said: "I know my son and he’s not like how he’s being portrayed."
Prior to leaving the villa Joe came under fire from Women's Aid charity, as well as viewers, who branded his behaviour towards his partner "abusive", after he told her not to spend so much time with Tommy Fury and bond with her girl housemates instead.
But Rachel has insisted it is "sheer rubbish", and how her child has been portrayed is far from the truth.
She continued: "Both myself and his sister are his best friends. He doesn’t emotionally control anyone. What has been said in the newspapers today is just sheer rubbish, that is not my boy."
She continued: "I see him every day of the week and there’s no way he would make a girl cry. He’s a normal, loving 22-year-old lad.
"He’s got hundreds of friends, he goes to the gym every day. They all love him. He goes and plays rugby at the local club, they all love him.
"No friend he’s got, boy or girl, nor any of his ex-girlfriends have got a bad word to say about him.
"It’s a real shame this has happened."
The ITV2 show has received over 800 Ofcom complaints over Joe and his behaviour.
While Women's Aid described Joe as having "possessive behaviour."
But the statement fuelled Rachel's upset even more, as she believes the organisation has gone against their beliefs by upsetting her and her daughter.
She said: "They never contacted us. This charity, which is so interested in women’s protection, have made two women very upset and uncomfortable.
"His sister is devastated by all this and so am I."
Following his departure from the Spanish villa Joe has been kept in a safe house as part of the programme's duty of care to the contestants.
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