These horrifying pictures show the bruised and battered face of a woman beaten up by her bare-knuckle boxer boyfriend – while her kids slept in the next room.
Sarah Wheatley, 37, has bravely spoken about her ordeal and says she wants people to see the horrific injuries she suffered to raise awareness of domestic violence.
Her jealous now ex-partner, Russell Mason, from Wyken in Coventry, was jailed for just 20 months yesterday.
The 35-year-old boxer, who worked as a boxing trainer at a Coventry gym, was convicted of criminal damage and assault causing actual bodily harm at Birmingham Crown Court.
Sarah Wheatley, 37, has bravely spoken about her ordeal and says she wants people to see the horrific injuries she suffered to raise awareness of domestic violence
Ms Wheatley and her family are upset by the verdict and believe the thug’s sentence is too soft.
Ms Wheatley was attacked by Mason on September 8 in a family hotel room at theJurys Inn, in Broad Street, Birmingham, where she was staying with him and her two daughters, aged two and five.
The couple had only been together for twelve weeks and Ms Wheatley said he waswell liked by people in Coventry.
Ms Wheatley told how Mason had been drinking vodka during the evening and was’pretty much comatosed on the bed’ by the time she put her daughters to sleep.
‘After the girls were asleep I went to the shop to get a bottle of wine for myself,’ Ms Wheatley said.
‘When I got back I went and sat in the bathroom – rather than turn the bedroom light on while the girls were sleeping – and talked to some friends on Facebook.
‘All I remember is he appeared at the door and said ‘who the f*** are you speaking to?’ and I said I’m on Facebook, after that I don’t remember anything else.
‘I woke up and tried to get back up but I couldn’t, he must have knocked me unconscious again.
‘I remember waking up and touching my nose and seeing blood on my fingers.
‘He had dragged me from the bathroom into the bedroom and continued to beat me. When I came around he was asleep so I went to get help from hotel staff. I hardly even remember making it downstairs.’
Ms Wheatley suffered horrific injuries in the attack including a broken nose
The police were called to the hotel and Mason was arrested whilst Ms Wheatley was taken to hospital.
Ms Wheatley suffered horrific injuries in the attack including a broken nose.
Pictures posted by her sister Danielle on Facebook show Ms Wheatley in hospital with two black eyes and dark purple and yellow bruising over most of her face.
‘My face swelled up like a balloon,’ Ms Wheatley said.
‘He could have killed me. He broke my nose, the hospital thought I had a bleed on the brain and I couldn’t even walk for a week.’
‘The only part of my face that wasn’t bruised was my mouth. It was horrific.’
Despite her ex-partner going to jail, Ms Wheatley said she was disappointed with the outcome and wants to appeal the sentence.
‘I think it’s a bit of a joke to be honest,’ she said.
‘I can’t believe that even though he’s got previous he only got 20 months. He’ll be out in half that time.
‘Domestic violence is taken seriously by the police more and more now, but at court they don’t get the sentencing they should.
‘They wonder why people don’t come forward – it just seems like there’s no justice.’
‘His whole family have nothing to do with him,’ Ms Wheatley added.
Pictures posted by her sister Danielle on Facebook show Ms Wheatley in hospital with two black eyes and dark purple and yellow bruising over most of her face
Laws enabling abuse victims to confront violent partners were rolled out in 2009.
‘Clare’s Law’ is named after Clare Wood, who was murdered in Manchester in 2009 at the hands of her new partner who had three previous convictions for harassment offences which she had not known about.
The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme gives someone in a relationship ‘the right to ask’ for information from various agencies, including the police.
Partners can be told about a partner’s previous convictions, cautions, reprimands or final warnings for any offence of violence.
But in Coventry, just 38 people have been able to find out whether a partner has a violent past from 93 applications.
The figures include both ‘right to ask’ cases – where information was requested – and ‘right to know’ – where police warn potential victims without being asked to do so.
The Freedom of Information Act request was placed by Cllr Ed Ruane, Coventry City Council’s lead member for children and young people, who is encouraging victims of domestic violence to make use of Clare’s Law.
He said: ‘Anyone asking for a disclosure under Clare’s Law is clearly already concerned about the relationship, and should be referred to a specialist service so he or she can get support with their concerns, even if no disclosure can be made.
‘The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme helps to protect victims, families and friends from devastating consequences while also enabling people to take informed action about their relationships and the opportunity to protect them.
‘If anyone does have concerns that they may be in a relationship with someone who may be abusive or been abusive to other partners in the past, and wants to make a more informed decision about that partner, it is important to talk to someone.
Temporary Detective Superintendent Sally Holmes, from West Midlands Police’s public protection unit, said: ‘If anyone suspects their partner is hiding a domestic abuse past then they have the right to ask, under Clare’s Law, for police to provide relevant information on that person’s history.
‘We will consider whether disclosing that information is lawful, necessary and proportionate before releasing it.
‘But police can also proactively disclose information about someone’s history of domestic abuse or violent acts without being prompted by their partner – with the same caveats – if we believe information we have may impact on that partner’s safety.
‘This contact also provides an opportunity for officers to provide safeguarding advice and signpost them to support agencies that can offer help.’