A mum-of-five has told how her abusive ex-boyfriend threatened to cut off her ears, spat at her on a night out and told her on Christmas Day to kill herself. Leanne Hoare, 33, bravely spoke out to describe her ordeal after Michael Duncan, 38, was jailed for six months.
Duncan was also given a five-year restraining order after a court heard he secretly followed her to a supermarket, convinced she was having affairs, and spat in her face when she dared to have a night out with friends without him. On Christmas Eve, he called her 200 times and on Christmas Day, he left a voice note telling her to kill herself, leaving her in floods of tears.
Leanne said she had been friends with Duncan for 17 years before they got together. She told how she felt 'reassured' by their long-standing friendship and thought she could trust him, but went on to find out after his arrest that he had previous convictions relating to domestic abuse. "I could not have been more mistaken," she said.
Leanne, who started a relationship with Duncan in January 2022, said: "I knew Michael well so I felt safe with him. Ironically, I thought the fact that we were good mates meant he would not hurt me."
But she told how a couple of months into the relationship, he demanded she delete all her male friends from social media. He began following her to the supermarket, she said, accusing her of having affairs and did not let her socialise with her friends or see her family.
Leanne said: "I wasn't even allowed to message my children's father, to make childcare arrangements. Yet Michael had lots of female friends on social media and he was very flirty. I was very confused by it. I kept trying to reason with him.
"This wasn't a side I had ever seen of him before, and I thought I could make him see I could be trusted."
Leanne said when she went out with a female friend one night, Duncan tracked her down and spat in her face in a rage. Soon after, in September 2022, she ended the relationship.
She said: "I was disgusted by him spitting at me and he embarrassed me in front of my friends. We finished, and I thought that was the end of it. But Michael started turning up outside the house every day, he called and sent me voice notes.
"Sometimes he'd threaten to kill himself. Other times he was abusive calling me a tramp and a slut. He threatened to cut my ears off. He really frightened me. When he banged on the door, the children and I had to hide upstairs, with the lights off, pretending we were out."
On Christmas Day, he called her and told her in a voice note that she should kill herself, claiming nobody would miss her if she was dead.
Leanne, from Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, said: "That was a real low point for me. I have a photo of me sitting on the sofa, sobbing, on Christmas Day. I felt like he had beaten me. I cooked Christmas dinner for the kids, but I couldn't eat a mouthful myself."
In January she reported Duncan and he was arrested and charged with assault and stalking. To her horror, Leanne discovered he had previous convictions.
Earlier this month Duncan, of Jacks Wood Avenue, Ellesmere Port, pleaded guilty at Chester Magistrates Court to assaulting, stalking and controlling and harassing Leanne.
Following his sentencing, Detective Constable Luke Bailey, of Cheshire Police, said: "This was an extremely traumatising experience for the victim in this case and I hope that Duncan's sentencing, along with his five-year restraining order, will provide her with some reassurance.
"Domestic abuse is not acceptable and will not be tolerated, and we want to send out a clear message that nobody should have so have to suffer in silence. If you are a victim of domestic abuse, or if you know someone who is a victim, please get in touch."
Leanne has received support from 'Love Doesn't Hurt' which aids with recovery from trauma and abusive relationships.
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