A domestic abuse survivor has bravely shared her story of months of torment endured at the hands of her monster ex in a bid to “keep people safe”.
Jade Doolan, 27, was beaten, raped, manipulated and subjected to vicious name calling by her ex-boyfriend Rian Hood, 31, of Kilmarnock, during their 18-month relationship.
Hood was found guilty of 10 charges including rape, abduction and assault to danger of life involving four victims following a trial at the High Court in Elgin and was remanded in custody prior to his sentencing next month.
Jade has waived her right to anonymity to share her story in the hope of protecting those who may get into a future relationship with Hood.
Jade, who works in finance, said that Hood was “so nice” and “supportive” when the pair rekindled their friendship in 2018 before becoming an item in May of that year.
In September 2018, Hood launched his first attack on Jade – where he locked her out of their home on Bonnyton Road, Kilmarnock, in her underwear – before subjecting her to months of abuse.
She told Ayrshire Live: “He had full control of all my accounts and passwords, my location was on at all times and he checked my messages each day.
“The assaults just got worse and worse. Christmas Eve was one of the worst ones. It was the one that spurred me to leave him for good.
“He headbutted me. I ran into the kitchen and he smashed my head off the wall.
“He slapped me so hard that he put air in my ear and burst my eardrum and knocked me unconscious.
“I was saved by the [door] bell. I don’t know if he would’ve stopped, I genuinely thought he was going to kill me that night.
“It was 2am into Christmas so I literally went to bed. I’m not from Kilmarnock, my family aren’t, I don’t have any friends there – I wasn’t allowed any – so I was stuck.”
After the Christmas period, Jade was given refuge accommodation via Women’s Aid but Hood found her and began manipulating her again.
Vile Hood also raped Jade on an occasion during their relationship.
“I knew it wasn’t right, I was thinking, ‘I didn’t want that’,” she said.
“But I guess I just shut down. My brain was not connecting the dot of ‘I’ve just been raped’. That’s such a big heavy word.
“But I didn’t consent and he carried on, that is rape at its core.
“It wasn’t this violent event of a stranger grabbing me off the street, it was just my boyfriend having sex with me when I didn’t want it.”
Jade eventually broke free from the abusive relationship and moved away to Edinburgh, where she now lives.
After experiencing nightmares, flashbacks and anxiety attacks, she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and has started seeing a trauma therapist.
Through her therapy, Jade was encouraged to contact the police detailing what Hood put her through.
Hood was charged in June 2020 and a five-day trial this August saw jurors return a guilty verdict. He will be sentenced next month.
Jade added: “At the end of it all, I just want him to be on and remain on the sex offenders' register with a harm order, so he has to tell women he’s a danger.
“I just want people to be safe.”
Don't miss the latest Ayrshire headlines – sign up to our free daily newsletter here
