My husband is convinced I’ve cheated on him while he’s been in prison

DEAR DEIDRE: MY husband is in jail and is jealous of my friendship with another man. He won’t believe I haven’t cheated.

I am 37 and he is 40. He has been in prison for five years for a crime he swears he did not commit. I believe he is innocent.

He says he feels he can’t trust me and he makes me feel like a terrible person

He has another three years to serve.

Although I visit him and speak to him regularly, I get lonely. But I’ve never been unfaithful.

A few months ago, I met a guy at work and we became friends. He is 35.

We started meeting for coffee or drinks.

I didn’t think there was any harm in it, but I didn’t tell my husband as I didn’t think I needed to.

Then my new friend broke up with his girlfriend and admitted he had feelings for me.

I tried to brush it off, and kept telling him I was married and that we could only ever be friends.

Since then, I’ve cooled things with him, although we still chat.

But I confided in a friend. She told her partner – who is a mate of my husband’s – and he said if I didn’t tell him, he would.

So I told my husband, who went absolutely mad.

He says he feels he can’t trust me and he makes me feel like a terrible person.

I don’t know what to do.

DEIDRE SAYS: Five years is a long time to wait for someone.

You are entitled to a social life, whether with male or female friends.

But, while unfair, your husband’s reaction is understandable given his circumstances.

All you can do is to keep talking – and writing – to him and making it clear you have done nothing wrong.

Get support from PACT (prisonadvice.org.uk, 0808 808 2003), a helpline for the families of prisoners.

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