'My 6ft partner beat me black and blue from head to toe'
Warning: This story contains images that some people may find distressing
Woman beaten black and blue from head to toe by burly partner was so scared he'd kill her she wrote goodbye note to her son
Jessica Davies, 23, is sharing her story to warn others about abusive relationships
A young woman covered in horrific bruises all over her body by her burly 6ft partner was so scared he'd kill her she wrote a goodbye letter to her son.
Jessica Davies, 23, was left feeling broken and worthless after ex Thomas Parry viciously attacked her while their two-year-old slept in the next room.
When 15-year-old Jessica met factory worker Parry, she thought he was a gentle giant who would look after her. But her 23 stone partner, who towered over her 5ft 3 inch frame, subjected her to eight years of controlling behaviour - leaving her "believing he was going to kill me'" .
Parry started controlling her every move over the next eight years - before a horrifying attack that left even hardened police officers shocked. Jessica is now speaking out to raise awareness about domestic abuse and to help others.
"I felt physically and emotionally powerless and I thought the only way out was death," said Jessica. "Either he was going to kill me or I'd take my own life."
She said she thought he was going to kill her
Pictured here are Jess Injuries inflicted by Thomas Parry
After being stamped on, punched, choked and humiliated by Parry he gave her a chilling warning. She recalled: "He told me that things could get worse. His words were 'I can get way way way worse'. I knew he meant it too."
Horrendous injury pictures show Jessica's legs, arms and back covered in bruises so bad that there was barely any unbruised skin visible on her left limb. Parry smashed her face and stamped on her body with his enormous size 11 shoes as their two-year-old son lay sick with chickenpox in a nearby bedroom.
Jessica was so terrified of her twisted partner, now 29, that she set up a fake email account to write a goodbye letter to their son after the assault.
One attack left Jess with a bloodied nose
She said: “I really believed he was going to kill me. He was a hulk of a man. He was absolutely savage. He tried to dehumanise me in every way he could. He told me nobody could stop him. He spat on me and tipped a tin of talcum powder all over me.
"I was in so much pain for his beating and I begged him to let me sleep in our bed but he wouldn't allow and made me sleep on the floor like an animal. He then kept me in the house for two weeks so nobody could see my bruises and forced me to tell my family I had Covid so they couldn’t visit and see my injuries.”
Jessica already had a restraining order against Parry aged 19 after he allegedly punched her in the head.
"I left him and found a new love who was so kind to me. But he lured me back with Moonpig cards and a promise he had changed," she added.
Thomas Parry presented himself as a gentle giant - but soon his true colours began to show
However, Parry had not changed at all - as was evident shortly after he proposed to her last summer.
Jessica said: "When he proposed we went out with my dad to celebrate and an old man of about 70, who had a walking stick, commented on my newly painted nails. When we got home Thomas went absolutely crazy, telling me I’d loved the attention that this old man had given me.”
A later attack on Jessica started after he began quizzing her about the boyfriend he coaxed her away from and demanding to know about their sex life before he brutally attacked her.
"He was so angry and just began pacing the room. I could tell he was going to explode and he did. He grabbed my hair and began smashing my head on the sofa," Jessica said. “He spat and stamped on me with his trainers and I was semi-conscious at one point. The pain was so horrific my body went numb. I was in so much pain I couldn't feel it anymore.
The victim of Thomas Parry, 29, of Port Talbot, was covered in bruises as a result of the horrific assault be subjected her to
"My body was black and blue all over from the bruises. He hit me so hard in the face there was blood everywhere from my nose and it went all over the walls as he forced me into the shower to wash the blood away. When I saw myself in the mirror I barely recognised myself. I could barely walk and I hurt so badly. I was in absolute agony.”
Jessica, who is sharing her story to inspire other women to leave abusive relationships, alleged that Parry threatened to take her son away if she complained about him.
She said: "He warned me if I told anyone he'd make sure our son was taken off me. He even goaded me to kill myself and told me that I wanted to. I did wonder if the only way to get away from his clutches was to kill myself, if he didn't kill me first, that is.”
All the while Jessica worried about her sick toddler son in his bedroom.
She said: “I remember crawling to the bedroom to give him some Calpol. I was in so much pain but I tried to stay strong for him.”
In the days that followed, Jessica said she cowered in fear as Parry tormented her, but described how she set up a bogus email and sent pictures of herself to the account when he went out shopping.
She added: “I also wrote letters to my little boy and told him how much I loved him - it was something I felt I had to do in case Thomas did kill me. Then I deleted it all because I knew as soon as Thomas came back he'd check my phone - all my messages and photographs.”
She eventually found the courage to leave after realising she would never be free of Parry unless she made a run from her home in Porthcawl.
Jessica said: “We were all in the flat and I somehow got the courage and made a run for it when he wasn't looking through the front door and out into the street.”
She showed the pictures to members of his family before sending pictures to her mum, who insisted the police get involved.
Jessica said: “As I told the police what I’d been through I could see one of the officers tear up - that’s how bad my injuries were.”
Parry was finally brought to justice in March this year when a judge jailed him for four years - half to be served on licence. Cardiff Crown Court heard he had 14 previous convictions for offences such as common assault.
Thomas Parry
His defence barrister Georgina Buckley claimed Parry was “extremely remorseful”.
But Judge David Wynn Morgan gave a damning verdict during sentencing telling Parry: "You are described as being warm and kind, an honourable individual, a good human being, patient, thoughtful, respectful, kind and polite, caring and conscientious.
"The people who write those references are plainly speaking about somebody other than the person standing in the dock. The fact is you are a bully. Men who hit women are not just bullies, they are cowards and you are a coward."
Parry was sentenced to a total of four years imprisonment. He will serve half the sentence in custody and the remainder on licence.
Jessica is hoping other women will heed red flags she ignored at the start of their relationship. She said the controlling began very early on in their relationship.
Jessica Davies is now trying to move on with her life and looking forward to the future
She said: “We’d only been going out for a month when he told me I couldn’t wear make-up to school and started constantly checking my phone to see who I was talking to.
"He alienated me from my friends and family and hated me being with anyone but him. I had a Facebook account with 3,000 friends on it but soon after going out with him he forced me to delete it.
"He began controlling my every move - he controlled what clothes I wore - no cleavage in photographs and he didn't like me wearing dresses or skirts. I mistook his control and jealousy for love - I was so young and very naïve. I didn't understand what was happening was domestic abuse.
“I want other women who read my story to be able to spot the warning signs. I'm just so glad I got away from him. I know I am lucky to be alive.”
Teresa Parker, head of media relations for Women's Aid, said Jessica had been courageous to share her story.
She said: "Jessica is so courageous speaking out about the horrendous abuse she experienced, and as she explains, it was not limited to physical abuse but was controlling too – abuse can take many forms.
"You may feel as if you are treading on eggshells, and worried about what your partner may do if you try to leave."
