A yob kidnapped his ex, subjected her to a brutal attack and then drove for around 12 hours "searching for a burial site".
Nathaniel Corkish, 31, repeatedly strangled Jasmine Molyneux and battered her with a hammer in a terrifying three-day ordeal.
The 26-year-old woman, who was left with life-changing injuries, has today spoken of her horror to warn other women - and men - about domestic abuse.
It comes after Corkish was jailed for eight years earlier this month after admitting grievous bodily harm, kidnap and non-fatal strangulation.
A judge heard he dragged mum-of-one Jasmine up the stairs by her neck. He then smashed her in the head and face with a hammer at the address in Skelmersdale, Lancashire.
Jasmine spent four days in a coma and ICU and a further month in hospital after the attack, which happened in November last year.
Recalling her plight, the mother said: "I went through absolute horror. As he drove me round, I knew he was looking for a burial site. I thought he was going to throw me in the river.
"I am determined to move forwards with my life, with my baby son, and I won’t let this ruin me.
"Nathaniel’s control over me was clear early in our relationship, but I didn’t realise how serious it would become. I want other women to learn to spot the early signs and to walk away from abuse – whilst they still can."
When Jasmine tried to escape Corkish's clutches, the thug forced her into a car and drove her around for 12 hours.
It was only thanks to her quick-thinking grandparents, who alerted police, that she was saved.
Armed officers later ambushed Corkish and rescued Jasmine from the car after a road block was set up in Wallasey, Merseyside.
Jasmine, then 25, met Corkish through mutual friends on Facebook in November 2019.
"At first, Nathaniel seemed really nice, he was pretty quiet but he was good to me and seemed protective and caring," Jasmine said.
"But then, he started saying: ‘Don’t cheat on me’ which was odd, since I wouldn’t do that. He objected to me wearing make-up and perfume because he thought I was doing it to attract other men.
"He quickly went from being protective to very controlling."
Jasmine fell pregnant late in 2020 and hoped the couple could make their relationship work.
But Corkish, from Skelmersdale, restricted her showers and also her meals.
Jasmine continued: "I was only allowed one meal a day. Some days, he didn’t let me shower. I wanted to leave but I felt so isolated. I was brainwashed and he made me think I couldn’t cope without him. My confidence was low because he was so horrible to me.
"He completely degraded me and I felt worthless, as though I didn’t have a say in my own life."
She ended their relationship, but when their baby son was born, she gave him another chance.
She says: “I wanted my baby to have a father. His family was very keen for us to get back together, and I felt under pressure from them too.
“Our relationship was on-off but as time went on, I realised he wouldn’t change. I was scared of finishing with him, because I knew he’d take it badly.”
In November last year, Jasmine built herself up to asking Corkish to leave. She was surprised when he seemed to react well to her decision and calmly left the house.
But three hours later, he burst back in and began strangling her.
Jasmine says: “I was in and out of consciousness. He took my phone off me and smashed it. He dragged me upstairs, and on the stairs, he smashed me three times in the face and head with a hammer.
“In the bedroom, he strangled me again, and I knew I was choking, I was gasping for breath, I could feel my face and neck swelling.
“All the time, he was whispering in my ear: ‘Ssh, everything is OK. I love you so much.’”
Jasmine lost consciousness. Over the next two days, she was mainly unconscious, whilst Corkish burned their blood-stained carpets and bedding in a back garden fire.
Jasmine says: “When I came round, it was two days later. I knew I had to get out. I went downstairs, and tried to run out, but he caught me. I had to make up an excuse, to convince him I wasn’t going to the police.
“He made me get in the car with him and promised me he was taking me to hospital.”
Instead, Corkish embarked upon a horrific 12-hour drive, during which Jasmine believes he was searching for a burial site. He blacked out the back windows of the car using clothing and blankets so she could not alert other drivers. When she asked him to let her out of the car, he pulled over and strangled her again.
She sid: “I was trying to accept I was going to die. He seemed to favour throwing me in the river. I was petrified, but also so ill that I kept losing consciousness.”
Jasmine’s grandparents, Philip and Sue, became alarmed when they could not contact her, and Philip visited her home – shortly after Corkish had kidnapped her.
When he found the carpets burned, and bloodstains on the furniture, he called police. Corkish was later arrested by armed police setting up a road block.
Jasmine says: “My grandfather saved my life, no doubt about it.”
She was rushed to hospital, and treated for head injuries, fractures including a shattered eye socket, a detached retina, cataract, and severe bruising.
She had surgery and was in a coma for four days. She spent five weeks in hospital and her family was warned she might die.
Nathaniel Corkish, of Skelmersdale, pleaded guilty in December last year at Preston Crown Court to causing grievous bodily harm, kidnap and non-fatal strangulation. Earlier this month, he was sentenced to eight years in prison.
Emanuele Bellanca, senior crown prosecutor for CPS North West said: "Nathaniel Corkish is an extremely dangerous man. After attacking her, he lured her into his car on the pretence he would take her to the hospital, refusing to let her out of the car and strangling her if she dared to ask to be let out.
"During the 12-hour journey she feared for her life believing he was searching for a burial site for her body. I would like to recognise the action taken by the Merseyside Police ensuring the safety of this woman when they stopped the car.
"I would also like to commend her bravery in supporting the case against the man who inflicted the most appalling physical, emotional and mental injuries upon her. I hope that following today's sentence she can begin to move on with her life."
Jasmine faces further surgery and has been left with limited vision in her right eye, and a loss of taste and smell. She has extensive scarring. But she is determined to move on with her life, and has found happiness with a new partner, Lewis.
She says: “I struggle to sleep, and I have flashbacks.
“But I am rebuilding my life, with my baby, and I won’t let this beat us. I want to speak out to warn other women about him. I also want women to be aware of the dangers of controlling partners.
“If a partner tells you to stop wearing make-up or short skirts or perfume, you should leave him. These are warning signs of something far more serious.
“I count myself lucky because I have survived, and I want to use my ordeal to save others. Luckily, not all men are the same and I have a new partner, Lewis, who is kind and understanding and has supported me in my recovery.”
