A victim of domestic abuse has bravely spoken out about the ‘five years of hell’ she spent with her ex-partner, who would attack her every day.
Sherelle Mooney, who spent 13 weeks in hospital with numerous broken bones, after being violently shoved and attacked by her abusive ex-partner Christopher Sleep, is speaking out in a bid to help other women in abusive relationships.
Sleep, 36, from Lostwithiel, Cornwall, was jailed this week for six years, following the assaults towards Sherelle that took place ‘almost every day for five years’.
During one sickening attack he shoved her in the back so hard that she was left in a pool of blood, needing hospital treatment for a fractured tibia, a fractured wrist and cuts to the head.
Sherelle Mooney (pictured) who lived with her ex-partner Christopher Sleep, in St Austell, Cornwall, for five years, has spoken out about their abusive relationship
Sleep went on trial at Truro Crown Court last week, after attacking Sherelle on numerous occasions including one where she was knocked unconscious. Pictured: Sherelle’s injured leg which now has a metal plate
Sleep went on trial at Truro Crown Court last week, charged with grievous bodily harm with intent.
He had already admitted breaching a restraining order and after a short period of deliberation the jury returned to convict him of the more serious charge.
The court heard that during an incident last August, Sleep followed Sherelle to her friend’s house and said that if she didn’t leave with him he’d ‘smash her and her f***ing friend’s house’.
It was shortly after this that Sleep shoved her from behind, causing her to fall and hit her head against a metal bench.
She fell to the floor, striking a wall and was unable to get up.
Sleep (pictured) has been jailed for six-years and given a ten-year restraining order, as a result of the attacks, which have left Sherelle with a metal plate in her leg and nine screws in her knee
Justice Garnham recalled witness testimonies that stated there was ‘blood everywhere’, and that Sleep had picked her up on numerous occasions while holding her by the throat.
Justice Garnham jailed Sleep for six years.
A new ten-year restraining order was also put in place, and Sleep was ordered to complete a Building Better Relationships course while in custody.
Sherelle who has moved back up north to start a new life, has now decided to speak out about her years of abuse while living with Sleep in St Austell, Cornwall.
She claims one incident was so bad that she was knocked unconscious.
As a result of the attacks, Sherelle had a metal plate put in her leg, nine screws in a knee and 11 pins in her wrist.
‘Everything was fine at first. When I first moved to Cornwall 10 years ago he became a great friend,’ she told Cornwall Live.
‘But he changed once we were partners and living with him became horrendous.’
As well as the injuries documented in the court case, Sherelle suffered black eyes, a broken ankle and a broken finger at the hands of Sleep.
Sherelle claims Sleep would blacken her eye in front of children when they were babysitting. Pictured: Scars on Sherelle’s arms from stitches and injuries inflicted by Sleep
‘He was so controlling. I couldn’t go to the toilet unless he told me I could,’ she said.
‘The Monday before the incident he trapped me in the bedroom and started to rip up my clothes, and followed me to the toilet so I couldn’t get out.
‘There were times when he’d make me strip off my clothes so I wouldn’t escape the house, and he’d take my mobile phone away so I couldn’t call anyone for help.’
She continued: ‘I tried to leave him so many times, but I couldn’t escape him. He’d track me down and go to my friends’ houses to get me. It was torture.’
As well as living together in St Austell, Sherelle had her own flat in Bodmin, but could no longer stay in it after Sleep threatened someone who lived there.
She added: ‘I’ve lost count of how many times he hit me – it used to be nearly every day. He strangled me on and off for five years.’
Sherelle (pictured) urges other women in abusive relationships to be brave and leave, warning that people like Sleep are capable of killing women
Sherelle spoke to Cornwall Live about her years of abuse saying: ‘I just want women to know that it’s not acceptable and I want to help others’.
‘I’d say to other women who are in abusive relationships, try and get out of it. Ring the police if you have to. You cannot live like this for the rest of your life. You need to be brave and stand up in court.
‘People like him are capable of killing a woman – he’s going to end up doing time for murder.’
Sherelle added that she didn’t think the sentence reflected the ‘five years of hell I went through.’