A Belfast mum has said her life has been "a nightmare" after losing custody of her children due to the risks of her abusive ex-partner.
The woman says that she had been involved in an abusive relationship for four years which ended after she claims she was repeatedly strangled and attacked after the couple returned home from a night out.
She says that she was attacked because she didn't want to go to a party after their night out and that her ex-partner became angry because he had arranged to purchase drugs at the location and could no longer do so.
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Her ex-partner has recently pled guilty to common assault in court. He had been charged with actual bodily harm, but these were withdrawn after the defendant pled to a lesser charge.
The mum says that she was the victim of domestic violence throughout the four years she was with the man, and that when she had tried to end the relationship he began stalking her.
As a result of the abuse, she says that she lost custody of her children due to the risks posed to her by her ex-partner and that it has taken almost a year for her to be able to see them again.
Speaking to Belfast Live, the mum said: "For the past year I have been living a nightmare after my children were taken from me due to the dangers posed by my abusive ex-partner.
"For four years I was abused by him and anytime that I would try to leave him and get away, he would stalk me and never give me a moment's peace. There were times he was spotted hiding behind my neighbours cars spying on me because his behaviour was so obsessive.
"It got to the point where I ended up taking him back just so that I wouldn't be constantly tormented by him.
"We would then not have any issues for a few months and things would seem like they were normal, then his abusive behaviour would start all over again.
"This all ended after we had been out with my friends and I wanted to go home instead of going back to a party with them. He then followed me home and when we got inside he started to repeatedly strangle me and bash my head off of the wall.
"I was terrified for my life and when the paramedics arrived they thought I was going to have a heart attack because it was racing so much.
"I later found out that he was angry that we did not go to the party because he had arranged to buy drugs there and could no longer do so.
"After this social services got involved with my family and my children were taken into foster care because of the risks that were posed to me by my abuser. Even though he was allowed to have custody of his."
The mum says that since her children were taken into foster care she has done all that she can to ensure that they were able to be returned to her. She was only allowed to see them for two hours a week during this time, something she found extremely difficult to cope with.
However she says that the punishment that her ex-partner will receive is nothing compared to the ordeal she has suffered without her children.
She said: "After suffering all of the abuse and going through that, losing my children was just another blow and it felt like I was being victimised again.
"But I have been determined to overcome it all and get my children back and thankfully that is now beginning to happen.
"Whatever sentence he receives after pleading guilty in court to common assault will be nothing compared to the ordeal that I have been through this year without my children."
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