Porthcawl: Domestic abuse survivor thought she was going to die

Ms Davies sent images of herself to a secret email account when Parry was out of the house

A woman has spoken out after suffering years of abuse which left her feeling "broken and worthless".

Jessica Davies, 23, from Porthcawl, Bridgend, said she believed ex-partner Thomas Parry was going to kill her.

Parry choked, punched and and stamped on Ms Davies, leaving her covered with bruises, in an attack in August 2022.

He was jailed for four years in March following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court.

WARNING: article contains upsetting content.

Ms Davies was 15 when she began seeing then 21-year-old Parry, who she claims began controlling her life.

"I felt physically and emotionally powerless and I thought the only way out was death," she said.

"Either he was going to kill me or I'd take my own life."

Parry was jailed for four years in March following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court

After the attack, which took with the pair's two-year-old son in the next room, Ms Davies said she "really believed he was going to kill me".

"He tried to dehumanise me in every way he could. He told me nobody could stop him. He spat on me and tipped a tin of talcum powder all over me," she said.

"I was in so much pain for his beating and I begged him to let me sleep in our bed but he wouldn't allow and made me sleep on the floor like an animal.

"He then kept me in the house for two weeks so nobody could see my bruises and forced me to tell my family I had Covid so they couldn't visit and see my injuries."

'The pain was so horrific'

Ms Davies said the attack happened following an argument shortly after Parry had proposed to her.

"He grabbed my hair and began smashing my head on the sofa… he spat and stamped on me with his trainers and I was semi-conscious at one point," she said.

"The pain was so horrific my body went numb. I was in so much pain I couldn't feel it anymore.

"My body was black and blue all over from the bruises. He hit me so hard in the face there was blood everywhere from my nose and it went all over the walls as he forced me into the shower to wash the blood away.

"When I saw myself in the mirror I barely recognised myself. I could barely walk and I hurt so badly. I was in absolute agony."

Jessica Davies' body was left covered in bruises after she was choked, punched and stamped on by her ex-partner Thomas Parry

Ms Davies said in the days that followed she set up a fake email account and sent pictures of herself to it while Parry was out of the house.

"I also wrote letters to my little boy and told him how much I loved him - it was something I felt I had to do in case Thomas did kill me," she added.

Ms Davies, who is sharing her story to help other women in similar situations, said one day she found the courage to leave.

"We were all in the flat and I somehow got the courage and made a run for it when he wasn't looking through the front door and out into the street," she said.

Ms Davies said a police officer "teared up" as she described what she had been through

She showed the pictures to members of Parry's family before sending them to her mum, who insisted the police get involved.

"As I told the police what I'd been through, I could see one of the officers tear up - that's how bad my injuries were," she said.

During the trial the court heard Parry had 14 previous convictions for offences such as common assault.

His defence barrister Georgina Buckley said Parry was "extremely remorseful".

'I'm lucky to be alive'

Ms Davies is hoping other women will heed red flags she ignored at the start of their relationship.

"We'd only been going out for a month when he told me I couldn't wear make-up to school and started constantly checking my phone to see who I was talking to," she said.

"I mistook his control and jealousy for love - I was so young and very naïve. I didn't understand what was happening was domestic abuse.

"I want other women who read my story to be able to spot the warning signs. I'm just so glad I got away from him. I know I am lucky to be alive."

If you are affected by any of the issues in this article you can find details of organisations that can help via the BBC Action Line.