Victim of domestic abuse thought she was going to die (From Warrington Guardian)

Victim of domestic abuse thought she was going to die

"I THOUGHT he was going to kill me" - the words of a woman beaten up by her partner, who was a serving policeman.

Janette Mitchell told the Warrington Guardian of her relief after her partner Wayne was convicted of common assault last week.

"I felt shock when I heard the verdict," said Janette. "I was worried because I thought the police all stuck together."

Janette was grabbed by the windpipe and put in a headlock, and her arm was caught in the door when she tried to escape their house in Tunbridge Close, Westbrook.

"I lost my breath," said Janette, aged 36, who works for the Halifax. "It was probably only for half a second but it seemed a lot longer. I just thought the kids are going to be left without a mum. I thought he was going to kill me."

Janette told the trial she had been assaulted by Wayne for years, which he denied. The judge said Janette was a 'truthful' witness.

The couple met when Janette was 22 and he was 18.

She said: "I was young and in love. I was impressed with him because he was in the Royal Marines and he was a big macho man.

"He started controlling me, and when you are being controlled you don't realise it."

During the trial she admitted having a one-night stand with her sister's boyfriend in 2003.

She said: "I was very vulnerable at the time and it just happened. It was the worst mistake I have ever made."

The couple argued about that incident and over debts.

On June 7 last year, Wayne, a PC with Greater Manchester Police, came home from the pub, and Janette said she was 'shaking and terrified' because she said she 'knew what was coming'.

He attacked her and she fled to a neighbour's house and made a complaint to the police.

"It felt like a big relief because I could be myself, I wasn't being controlled anymore. I could lead my life the way I wanted to," she said. "I have told people 'God help the next guy I meet', because I will be a much stronger person now!'"

She said she now sees her 14 years with Wayne as 'wasted years'.

She said: "I told him 'I am not happy and I don't want to be 50 and feel this way'."

Janette said she knew some people might think she should have stuck it out for the sake of her children - aged three-and-a-half and 18 months.

But she said: "I didn't want them growing up in that environment. All relationships have good times and bad times, but the bad outweighed the good. I'm sorry it turned out this way. But I couldn't carry on living like that."

She also said the officer investigating the case, PC Nicki Ireland, had been 'absolutely brilliant'.

Janette hopes she can now get on amicably with Wayne for the sake of their children and that Wayne, who is seeing a police psychologist for panic attacks, can "get help".

sbailey@guardiangrp.co.uk