'I genuinely thought he was going to kill me

'I genuinely thought he was going to kill me - then I noticed the big window behind him'

When Jolene Norman first met her ex-boyfriend on social media, she thought he seemed friendly, funny and good-looking too.

The mum-of-two started seeing Dale Gresty, 31, in 2019, and at first the relationship appeared to be going well.

But then, following a family funeral, he got drunk and flew into a violent rage when the couple arrived back home in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

In a horrific attack, triggered by jealousy, Gresty cut Jolene, 30, with scissors, broke her bathroom door in two and threatened to pour acetone into her wounds.

He was arrested and in May 2020 convicted at Chester Crown Court of assault by beating, unlawful wounding and ABH. He was jailed for 27 months.

After Gresty was jailed, Jolene discovered she was pregnant with the couple's child. "I somehow got my life back together and concentrated on raising my daughter," she said.

But after he was released from prison, Gresty tracked Jolene down and demanded to see his child.

"He barged in and I knew immediately he was in a rage. He was furious he had ended up in prison because of what he did to me, he saw it all as my fault," she said.

"Our daughter was asleep upstairs and Dale was grabbing my hair, pulling me back into the room every time I tried to run away from him.

Jolene is urging other victims of domestic violence to speak up (Focus Features)

"Dale was punching and kicking me, and I thought he was going to kill me. When he stood up, there was a big window behind him and quickly I undid the latch.

"It was only when I somehow found a superhuman strength to push him out of the window that I was saved. It was a ground floor window... I just shoved him and out he went.

"I closed it quickly and called for help and he was arrested. I don't know how I managed it. But I do know it saved my life."

Gresty appeared at Chester Crown Court again in December 2022 and was convicted of ABH and breaching a restraining order. He was jailed for 32 months.

Now the mum-of-two is urging other victims of domestic violence to speak up and report their abusers to the police.

The window that Jolene pushed her ex-partner through (Focus Features)

"I struggled to put the attack behind me but knowing he is in prison gives me so much comfort," she said. "I want other women to know that you must walk away - before it is too late.

"I've learned to spot the signs of an abuser and I will never put myself in that position again. I have a job, I have my children, and I have so much to look forward to."

Jolene says following her ordeal, she has has received support through the Facebook community 'Love Doesn't Hurt.'

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