Zara Aleena murder: Jordan McSweeney ex feels 'lucky I still have my life'

Samantha Bryan was in a relationship with Jordan McSweeney for four years

A former partner of Jordan McSweeney, who was jailed for at least 38 years for murdering law graduate Zara Aleena, has described how she feels "lucky I still have my life" having been abused numerous times by him during their relationship.

Samantha Bryan, 30, met McSweeney when she was 14 and the pair were together for four years.

During that time she said he left her bruised and scarred after dozens of physical attacks, with one incident particularly standing out in her mind.

"I can still feel that moment where he bounced my head off the floor. I'm never going to forget that," she told the BBC.

"His main thing would be to get you to the ground to kick… his tactic would be to try to stamp, to kick."

Samantha Bryan said she still suffered from severe anxiety and needed counselling as a result of the attacks

During one attack Ms Bryan said McSweeney kicked a front door off its hinges and chased her.

"He got me to the ground, stamped all over me… This particular incident I was on the floor huddled up and he was kicking and trying to lay into me."

Killed Walking Home

Zara Aleena was killed walking back from a night out by a sexual predator, only recently released from prison, labelled a "danger to any woman".

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In another incident in 2011 Ms Bryan said McSweeney jumped on her face and bounced her head on the floor, nearly knocking her unconscious.

She ended up going to hospital and was told she was lucky she had not lost her sight.

After that attack Ms Bryan said she reported him to the police and he was arrested, but she decided not to press charges.

Zara Aleena was murdered by 29-year-old Sweeney in Ilford as she walked home from a night out

Speaking about McSweeney's personality, she described him as being like a Jekyll and Hyde character, and said she had often felt "very, very scared" throughout their relationship.

"One minute he would be absolutely fine, loving me and then switch again," she added.

Some attacks would also involve him pinching and biting her. "He was just always vicious and nasty," she said.

• Zara Aleena murderer jailed for at least 38 years

• How Zara's killer trailed lone women before murder

There was mental abuse too. Ms Bryan said McSweeney would humiliate her in front of their friends and embarrass her in whatever way he could.

Asked why she had stayed with him for those four years, she told the BBC she remembered asking herself why he would attack her when he was supposed to love her.

"I knew it wasn't right, but there was always a part of me that wanted to forgive him and love him," she said, adding that he would manipulate her to the point where she felt she had no one else.

Samantha Bryan was told by doctors she was lucky not to lose her sight after one of McSweeney's attacks

Following the attacks, which she said have left her with a scar on her mouth still visible today, Ms Bryan said McSweeney would apologise to her, telling her that something wasn't right with him and that he had a bad childhood.

"It was just all very, very pitiful, like it was an excuse for what he had done and that I'd pushed him to it."

After the 2011 incident she said her mother stopped her having any contact with McSweeney, cutting off any way that he could get in touch with her, and she never saw him again.

On hearing about Zara Aleena's murder, Ms Bryan said she felt "physically sick".

"My mum always said from when I was in a relationship with him he's going to end up killing someone.

"It was such a whirlwind of toxic violence and I'm never going to forget it, and it's with me every day."

She now has severe anxiety and said she needed counselling after what happened.

"It's had a huge impact on me… emotionally. It's something that I am never going to forget but I am lucky I still have my life," she said.

During his sentencing, the judge said McSweeney was a danger to lone women

During Wednesday's hearing at the Old Bailey, McSweeney refused to come up from the cells to the courtroom to be sentenced. Ms Bryan said she wasn't surprised by that and from the moment she heard he had been arrested for murder, she knew he wasn't going to play ball or comply.

She also believes his life sentence is "never going to be long enough" for the "destruction" he has caused throughout so many people's lives.

"He's a monster, he's a monster and he deserves to suffer for the rest of his life. He's evil, he is complete a manipulator, he is a liar… this is what he deserves," she said.

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