'I THOUGHT HE'D KILL ME'
Evil bully, 25, held his ex-girlfriend, 39, prisoner and battered her with bathroom door after she went out with friends
by Holly ChristodoulouA TERRIFIED domestic abuse survivor feared she would die after her evil ex held her prisoner when she went out with pals.
Katrina Pidden, 39, was battered with a bathroom door by raging Mitchell Liversedge, 25, in one brutal attack.
She was also held captive by the thug in her own home in Daventry, Northants, and left with horror injuries - including one of her teeth being knocked out.
Her nightmare ordeal came to an end in September last year when a neighbour saw the brute dragging bloodied Katrina across the garden and called police.
The brave retail assistant has now spoken out about the abuse after Liversedge was caged for five years in March for four counts of ABH.
He was also convicted of one charge of false imprisonment, one count of damaging property, one for threatening to destroy or damage property, and one charge of engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate relationship.
Katrina said: "I'd split up with him and he turned up at my house and started getting out of control.
"He threw a drink over me so I took myself into the garden to get away from him.
"He came flying outside, attacked me, hitting me over the head with the kitchen chair.
"He dragged me down the garden by my finger and my finger ended up so swollen that my ring had to be cut off.
"I only had a nightie on so my skin was getting scraped on the path.
"I thought he was going to kill me."
Katrina met Liversedge on a night out in 2019 and says the first four months of their relationship was perfect.
But the thug soon became possessive and banned Katrina from having any male friends.
He also called her "horrible names" if they went out before the emotional abuse turned violent.
Katrina said: "The first time he got violent, he tried to hit me with an iron and threw a cup at me.
"He said it would never happen again but he started pushing me around, throwing me into things then it turned into slaps and then punches and kicks."
| HOW YOU CAN GET HELP: Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families: • Always keep your phone nearby. • Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine. • If you are in danger, call 999. • Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”. • Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare. • If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone. • Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space. If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk. Women’s Aid provides a live chat service available. from 10am to noon. You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247. |
Katrina said she repeatedly tried ending things with "controlling" Liversedge but he would turn up at her house and worm his way back in.
She also revealed how in one attack, the monster accused her of cheating after a night out when she ripped her tights.
Katrina said: "He called me a dirty slag, dragged me outside and left me in the rain curled up in a ball in the garden.
"Then he came outside and started speaking to me like it was my fault.
"He said 'look at the state of you' then took me back inside and pushed me over.
"I tried to run down the road and he came after me, dragged me back and kept me there all night, beating me for about 40 minutes at a time.
"He took my keys, my phone and I was hiding in random rooms around the house.
"I was locked in all night."
Katrina has now been forced to move home after fearing Liversedge will come looking for her when he is released from prison.
She is also seeing a therapist to help with her depression, anxiety and PTSD after being left as a "shadow of herself".
Brave Katrina says she wants to speak out to encourage other domestic abuse victims to seek help.
She said: "It's over one year on and I'm still suffering.
"I have a false tooth now and every time I take it out it's a reminder of what happened and I have scars all over my body that I have to look at every day.
"I just want to tell anyone in a similar situation to please seek help and don't be ashamed.
"It isn't your fault and you won't be judged.
"Just get out, no matter how many times they say they'll change and get help, they won't and things will just get worse."
