Terrified mum 'living in fear' after boyfriend's year of abuse

The woman said she was "constantly on high alert" after being terrorised by her abusive boyfriend

Terrified mum 'living in fear' after bully boyfriend's year of abuse

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A woman was left "living in a state of fear" after being "relentlessly" pursued by her violent boyfriend.

Jason Paul, 35, terrorised his girlfriend for a year as she repeatedly attempted to break up with him due to his violent and obsessive behaviour. He threatened to share naked pictures of her, stalked her, and subjected her to a terrifying phone call threatening to "stab her, drive his car into her house and kill her son".

In January 2023, after a night out in Wallasey, he dragged her across the floor of her home and barricaded her in a room until she agreed to take him back. Violence also occurred in June 2023, when he again trapped her in her room before jumping on top of her and choking her, saying he was "putting and end to it".

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Paul later pleaded guilty to threats to disclose a private sexual photograph, assault by beating, intentional strangulation, stalking, and sending electronic communications with intent to cause distress or anxiety. He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, January 12, where his former girlfriend took the stand to tearfully describe the harrowing effects of his abuse.

She said: "As a result of being in a relationship with Paul and the incidents until his arrest I have been living in a state of fear. Due to being assaulted by him I was always in fear he would do it again. This affected my mental health and I now suffer from anxiety. I struggle with sleeping and when I do sleep I have nightmares that he's outside the house or standing over me as I sleep. I have not been eating properly since due to the constant feeling of being sick with worry.

"I now describe myself as jumpy and fearful. This is because I was always fearful that Paul would be watching me or turn up unexpectedly. I would always be on high alert checking the area when I was leaving the house. Despite Paul being arrested I'm still full of anxiety and fear. What if he's released and turns up to my house? I have fear of what he might do to me. Would he hurt me?"

She said she had been diagnosed with PTSD and alopecia, and that her mental health had impacted her work, causing her to withdraw from her colleagues. She was also unable to return to her part-time job as a teacher due to the safeguarding risk Paul posed.

She said: "The domestic violence team installed CCTV cameras around my property and I had to have all my locks changed. I now carry a personal alarm whenever I leave the house. I never believed I would be in a place in my life where I would need a personal alarm to make me feel safe when leaving the house. I found myself in a place where I never thought I would be, having to protect myself and my property from Paul."

Paul, of Hunter's Way, Slough, was sentenced to a total of 40 months in prison, and given a restraining order banning him from contacting the woman in future.

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