A mum was forced to pretend to her children she had Covid-19 after her face became swollen following a brutal attack by her jealous boyfriend. Just minutes after midnight on New Year's Day, the 40-year-old man launched a terrifying assault - 'wishing death on her', punching her '10 times' and gouging at her eyes.
Benjamin Rumfitt strangled, hit and gouged Faye Matthews’ eyes during the early hours of New Year’s Day this year. She suffered a broken eye socket and severe bruising and spent New Year's Day in hospital.
Just hours earlier on New Year’s Eve, Faye’s daughter had celebrated her seventh birthday, and the family had enjoyed a lovely day. On Christmas Day, the couple had celebrated their four-year anniversary together.
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Mum of two Faye, 36, says: “Christmas was a special time for us. Christmas Day was our first date and New Year was my daughter’s birthday. The attack came completely out of the blue, just minutes after the midnight countdown, and I thought he would kill me.”
The man who subjected his girlfriend to the horrific New Year’s assault has now been jailed.
The couple first met as teenagers when they worked at Morrisons supermarket. Five years ago, they found themselves single, and hooked up again on social media.
The couple's first date was Christmas Day 2017. Faye, a hospital worker from Leeds, says: “My two children were visiting their dad in the afternoon and so when Ben messaged, I invited him over. We had a Christmas drink together and it was lovely. We really clicked.”
Their relationship became serious and one year on, they moved in together. Faye said: “It was going well between us. Ben could be a bit too intense, a bit of a worrier. We had our ups and downs but our relationship was good.”
But by the end of 2021, Ben was becoming increasingly stressed. Faye and Ben celebrated Christmas 2021 – and their anniversary – together with her children.
On New Year’s Eve, Faye held a party for her daughter’s 7th birthday at a trampoline park. Afterwards, the children went for a sleepover and the couple went out.
Faye says: “We went to Nandos and got some beers, and we were in really high spirits. We went home and watched TV.
“Just before the countdown, Ben nipped to the loo, and we missed our midnight kiss. He reappeared about ten minutes later and he seemed really agitated.
“He said: ‘If we split up, you will meet someone else really quickly, I know it.’ I was taken aback; it was out of the blue. We were perfectly happy together.
“I thought he was being ridiculous, then he said: ‘I wish death on you.’ Again, I brushed it off and told him to shut up. But he was becoming angry, and I suddenly felt very uncomfortable.
“He was very close to me on the sofa, and I could hear his breathing getting louder and louder. He put his arms around my neck and began squeezing tighter and tighter.
“I couldn’t breathe. I was choking and I could taste blood. He pulled me to the ground and punched me over and over in the face. I thought he was going to kill me.
“He punched me 10 times and I was pleading with him to stop. I begged him to let me see my children again. He stopped for a moment, and I took my chance and ran from the house.
“I was screaming for help in the garden, and he came after me and attacked me again, pressing his thumbs into my eyes and gouging. The pain was horrendous.
“Ben stopped briefly to call his mum. I could feel my face swelling and my eyes were closed.”
Ben’s mother rang back and Faye answered the call secretly on her watch. Ben was arrested soon after.
Faye had a broken eye socket and was also badly cut and bruised.
“It was awful having the face the kids the day after, I tried telling them I had Covid, but my face was such a mess," she added. "It was New Year’s Day, it was supposed to be a celebration, and I felt at rock bottom.
“I couldn’t drive for two weeks, I had no feeling in one side of my face, I had lots of hospital appointments for my eye socket. It was just awful.”
Rumfitt appeared at Leeds Crown Court last week and pleaded guilty to wounding with intent. He was jailed for two years and 10 months.
Faye said: “I feel disappointed with the sentencing, but I will put it behind me. I won’t let him ruin this Christmas. I am looking to the future now.
“My advice to other women would be to check out the man you’re dating. Make sure he is safe. A quick search on google could save your life.”
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