A mother whose eyes were gouged out by her ex-partner says she is afraid for her life after he was moved to an open prison.
Tina Nash, 44, of Cornwall, was blinded by Shane Jenkin, 45, in April 2011.
He held Ms Nash hostage for 12 hours, strangling her, gouging out her eyes and breaking her nose and jaw.
The horrific attack took place while her two sons slept in the next room.
Jenkin, of Sea Lane, Hayle, in Cornwall, pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm.
He was sentenced to life in prison in 2012, with a minimum jail term of six years.
Despite having six bids for parole rejected, according to the Parole Board for England and Wales, he was moved to an open prison at the beginning of March this year.
That means he is eligible to leave for short periods of time under licence to take part in work, or to see a family member who is seriously ill.
Ms Nash said she is “really scared” for her safety – and the safety of other women – after learning of the move.
“I don’t think he’ll leave it, especially because I’ve spoken out about what he’s done,” she said.
“I think that he has been sitting there this whole entire time kicking himself that he did not finish me off.”
Laura Richards, a criminal behavioural analyst and former head of the Homicide Prevention Unit of the Metropolitan Police, said she is “appalled” by the decision to move Jenkin to an open prison.
“I’m extremely concerned about the decision to move Jenkin to an open prison, readying him for release after such a short time and given his appalling and sadistic violent acts to Tina,” Ms Richards said.
“There is too much weight and focus on Jenkin’s ‘right to freedom’ rather than where it should be, on Tina’s right to life and safety and the safety of the public.”
Ms Nash, who met Jenkin at a club in Penzance in August 2009, said the first eight months of their relationship was loving until he “turned on her”.
In the last year of their relationship, the violence intensified.
On the night of his final attack, he rolled her in a blanket, strangled and beat her.
“I don’t remember him jumping on me. I don’t remember him beating me. I don’t remember him gouging my eyes out. I don’t remember him rolling me up. He thought I was dead.”
Ms Nash had several operations following the attack, but surgeons were unable to save her eyes.
She has since had reconstructive surgery to implant prosthetic eyes.
Jenkin was sentenced at Truro Crown Court in May 2012 and detained in a secure mental health unit.
Ms Nash said the attack by Jenkin has “completely ruined” her life.
“I try every single day to stay positive, but no matter what, it’s still always there, and it’s not going away,” she said.
“I dream every single night and it feels like I’ve just lost my sight yesterday.”
She still suffers panic attacks and is on medication for anxiety.
“I was a free spirit, I loved life, I was a DJ – I loved being out with my friends,” she said.
“All the panic attacks and the anxiety attacks just ruined me as a person.
“The amount of days and years that I sat downstairs on my own on the edge of the sofa, tortured, shaking, freaking out – he’ll never know what he’s done to me.”
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “This was a horrific crime and our thoughts remain with Ms Nash.
“All prisoners, including those serving life sentences, must pass a robust risk assessment before any move to open conditions and we do not hesitate to move them back to closed prisons if they break the rules.”
Ms Nash has set up a fundraiser on GoFundMe to raise money for security improvements at her home if Jenkin is released.
