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1
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Sam seemed like a nice lad.
2
00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:10,480
He was confident, he was funny.
3
00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:13,960
She did seem infatuated with him.
4
00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:15,640
Every weekend they'd be together.
5
00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:21,800
He used to tell me off
for being too drunk
6
00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:23,240
and he'd give me drugs.
7
00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:30,640
If I ever pulled him up on
bad behaviour,
8
00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:34,520
he'd just say, "This is Bad Sam,"
the alter ego.
9
00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:36,680
This is a massive red flag.
10
00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:39,880
Sam's temper flips, like this.
11
00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:42,000
SIRENS BLARE
12
00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:44,560
He was like an animal.
13
00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:46,760
They heard me saying "Stop, you're
going to kill me."
14
00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:53,040
He has just committed
the most horrific of assaults
15
00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:54,680
and he then parades around when
16
00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:56,680
the police turn up, shouting,
"I am God."
17
00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:01,000
The paramedic on the scene said
he'd never seen such
18
00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:03,720
severe injuries on somebody
still alive.
19
00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:07,560
I sat by her bedside,
just begging her not to die.
20
00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:12,560
This is the box of letters
21
00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:15,440
and cards that I got from
Sam when he was in prison.
22
00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:20,080
I was furious.
23
00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:22,880
She was almost murdered at
18 years old
24
00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:24,960
and there was nothing I could do.
25
00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:57,400
I'd just finished sixth form
26
00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:00,040
and I was getting ready to go
to Manchester
27
00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:01,960
for uni in September.
28
00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:05,320
I was nervous to go to university,
29
00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:07,800
because I didn't have any friends
coming with me,
30
00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:09,280
but excited.
31
00:02:10,920 --> 00:02:13,960
We'd been to lots of places
for interviews
32
00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:15,800
and she'd chosen Manchester
33
00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:17,600
cos all the cool kids go to
Manchester,
34
00:02:17,640 --> 00:02:19,640
and I've never known anybody move
to Manchester
35
00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:20,840
and not love it.
36
00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:23,400
And I just thought it would suit
her, right the way through.
37
00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:30,160
We had a big friendship group,
there was boys and girls.
38
00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:33,680
There was quite
a few of us going away,
39
00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:35,800
so we'd all just be going out,
40
00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:38,840
spending time with each other before
we all left.
41
00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:45,760
One of the boys...
42
00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:48,880
..brought his cousin into the group.
43
00:02:48,920 --> 00:02:52,440
He ended up coming out
with us quite a bit.
44
00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:57,400
Sam seemed like a nice lad.
He was confident, he was funny.
45
00:02:57,440 --> 00:02:59,680
I enjoyed spending time with him,
46
00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:01,800
speaking to him,
getting to know him,
47
00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:03,440
and we just got on.
48
00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:14,680
We were just on a night out in
the September.
49
00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:17,240
Someone that we didn't know said,
50
00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:20,360
"Are you two together?"
And he just said, "Yeah."
51
00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:26,920
It wasn't like I was asked
or anything, it just happened.
52
00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:28,840
And I was like, "OK."
53
00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:30,840
I didn't think much of it at
the time.
54
00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:34,880
The fact that they haven't had this
discussion yet,
55
00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:38,320
he's almost forced his opinion
on to Esther.
56
00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:39,760
"You are my girlfriend now."
57
00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:43,400
He's decided this, therefore
it is happening.
58
00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:46,000
And as much as Esther agrees
with this,
59
00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:49,640
that could be seen as
the first step there of control.
60
00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:57,600
So, this is the Rudd's. This is
where we came for our first date
61
00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:01,640
a few days before I moved
to Manchester for university.
62
00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:07,080
Feels a bit strange.
Like, this is where it all started.
63
00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:12,120
I knew, like, we'd got on together
and stuff,
64
00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:15,320
and I was happy
to carry on speaking to him,
65
00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:18,120
seeing him and just see
what happened.
66
00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:22,560
So it was like I was moving away
from home,
67
00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:25,480
not really knowing anyone,
but then I knew I had him,
68
00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:27,480
so it took a bit
of the pressure off.
69
00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:46,040
My mum helped me prepare
for going away.
70
00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:47,440
She was excited for me,
71
00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:49,840
so she got me all, like, my
kitchen bits
72
00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:51,200
and, like, food shopping,
73
00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:53,400
things that I'd need when I was
away.
74
00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:58,240
I had no concerns about her
moving away.
75
00:04:58,280 --> 00:05:00,680
It's only a couple
of hours away from home.
76
00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:02,640
And I said,
"The worst thing that happens
77
00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:04,560
"is you hate it and you
come back home."
78
00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:09,560
So, this is Wilmslow Park.
79
00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:12,800
This is where I lived in my
first year of uni.
80
00:05:12,840 --> 00:05:16,520
I was excited to have my freedom
in a new,
81
00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:18,040
completely new place
82
00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:21,280
because I knew I was
going to meet new people,
83
00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:23,040
have new experiences.
84
00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:28,360
Sam would come and visit me, like,
every other week.
85
00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:32,240
So he basically would be staying
here, as well, quite often.
86
00:05:32,280 --> 00:05:34,680
And he met my flatmates
and everything,
87
00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:37,120
and they all thought he was
all right.
88
00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:42,560
While Esther was away at uni,
she was texting a lot.
89
00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:44,400
She was texting all the time.
90
00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:47,720
Every message had about 20 kisses
at the end of it.
91
00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:50,080
She was in regular contact
with me at home.
92
00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:53,320
I was really enjoying university.
93
00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:55,720
I'd made friends with a few of
the girls,
94
00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:59,720
but because I had my boyfriend
coming up on the weekend,
95
00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:03,760
I didn't make as much effort
to see them outside of uni.
96
00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:11,960
Sam didn't really ask about any
friendships I was making
97
00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:14,400
or how I was settling in.
98
00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:18,160
It was more, "Are you coming
to see me this weekend?"
99
00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:25,160
I knew that Sam was going through
to see her regularly
100
00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:28,520
but I didn't realise it was
every week,
101
00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:30,640
every weekend they'd be together.
102
00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,880
Most of our relationship was
basically drinking.
103
00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:39,400
Didn't really do much else.
104
00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:45,400
I would ask occasionally about Sam,
105
00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:47,560
but a lot of the time it was just
they'd gone
106
00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:49,520
and got KFC and just stayed in.
107
00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:52,920
I was like, "OK, you're in
Manchester, you know,
108
00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:54,640
"there's lots to do."
109
00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:57,080
Given how sociable she is,
110
00:06:57,120 --> 00:06:59,440
it's not like her
to be staying in on a weekend.
111
00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:04,560
A few times, the girls from
uni would be going out
112
00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:06,880
for food or going out
drinking together.
113
00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:09,240
And I did feel
a little bit left out,
114
00:07:09,280 --> 00:07:11,560
but I thought,
"I've got my boyfriend."
115
00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:13,880
Didn't really think much of it at
the time.
116
00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:18,480
Whilst not everyone likes
going out and socialising,
117
00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:22,040
the fact that he stops her making
any other plans,
118
00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:25,320
you know, it's always, "Let's stay
in, let's do things together.
119
00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:27,840
"Let's not go out."
He's cutting her off.
120
00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:30,040
He is stopping her making friends
121
00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:31,560
and he is stopping her socialising,
122
00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:34,000
because this is not happening
once or twice -
123
00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:35,840
this is borderline every weekend.
124
00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:44,360
A friend that I had at
the time, who was a boy,
125
00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:47,480
and we'd always talk cos we were
best friends,
126
00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:50,240
and Sam had a problem with that,
127
00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:53,000
and that was the first time, like,
I picked up on,
128
00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:54,440
"OK, so he's a bit jealous."
129
00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:02,680
So, I'd tell him,
"You just need to chill out."
130
00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:05,480
And he was like, "Well, it's just
because I care about you so much
131
00:08:05,520 --> 00:08:06,880
"and you're my girlfriend.
132
00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:08,800
"This is just what happens in
relationships,
133
00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:10,440
"you haven't been in that many."
134
00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:15,800
I felt like I was doing something
wrong, even though I wasn't.
135
00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:18,000
But I just... I didn't know
about relationships,
136
00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:20,880
so, "This is how I need to behave."
137
00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:24,520
This kind of behaviour early on
138
00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:26,400
certainly does ring alarm bells
139
00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:28,240
to me because you don't have two
140
00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:30,160
equal partners in a relationship.
141
00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:33,040
You have one person who's at
the helm
142
00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:36,440
and the other who's very much
being disabled.
143
00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:41,080
One of my best friends,
when I'd go out with her,
144
00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:43,520
we'd just mess on,
because we were 18 years old,
145
00:08:43,560 --> 00:08:45,480
like, we were just having fun.
146
00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:47,160
But then the next day he would say,
147
00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:48,800
"You really embarrassed me
last night.
148
00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:51,280
"You need to stop hanging out
with her
149
00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:53,280
"because it's looking bad on me."
150
00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:59,200
If anything annoyed him when we were
out drinking,
151
00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:00,880
he'd storm off.
152
00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:04,880
I'd record it on my phone
because I just thought,
153
00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:06,640
"I'm going to show him this in
the morning.
154
00:09:06,680 --> 00:09:08,760
"He's going to burst out laughing
and just think,
155
00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:10,160
"'Why was I so moody?'"
156
00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:12,080
But he was really angry at the time.
157
00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:15,200
This is a massive red flag.
158
00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:16,760
What we are seeing right now is
159
00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:20,560
the fact of Esther not being able
to be who she is.
160
00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:26,640
He is controlling her,
161
00:09:26,680 --> 00:09:28,400
he is controlling how she thinks,
162
00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:30,440
he's controlling what she does.
163
00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:33,440
And the whole time, she just doesn't
want to upset him.
164
00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:35,320
She doesn't know what's
going to set him off.
165
00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:41,920
My name's Lainley,
Esther's best friend.
166
00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:44,440
Been friends for years and years.
167
00:09:45,680 --> 00:09:47,760
She doesn't like
to worry people at all.
168
00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:50,400
She would rather deal
with something herself
169
00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:52,400
and keep it to herself.
170
00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:54,640
To me, it always seemed like she
was happy
171
00:09:54,680 --> 00:09:56,360
and it was a good relationship.
172
00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:58,400
She did seem infatuated with him.
173
00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:01,720
As Sam's behaviour was getting
worse,
174
00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:03,160
I just thought this was normal -
175
00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:05,640
everyone's got little problems,
but you just get on with it
176
00:10:05,680 --> 00:10:07,320
cos you love each other.
177
00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:18,640
After one time of him
acting inappropriately,
178
00:10:18,680 --> 00:10:22,040
he said, "This is Bad Sam,"
and introduced me to "Bad Sam".
179
00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:26,480
If I ever pulled him up on his
bad behaviour,
180
00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:28,080
he'd just say, "That was Bad Sam,"
181
00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:33,320
and just blamed any negative
behaviours on the alter ego.
182
00:10:35,560 --> 00:10:39,520
JANE:It's interesting that Sam
actually raises this identity,
183
00:10:39,560 --> 00:10:41,200
"Bad Sam", to Esther.
184
00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:46,680
It's enabling him to disconnect from
his destructive behaviour.
185
00:10:47,680 --> 00:10:49,560
That is definitely a red flag.
186
00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:54,280
The way I was at the time,
187
00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:56,320
I wouldn't think anything bad would
ever happen.
188
00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:59,160
I just thought,
"Just let him have his moment,
189
00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:01,520
"and then the proper Sam will
come back."
190
00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:17,000
He used to tell me off
for being too drunk
191
00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:20,560
and he'd give me drugs
to make me sober up a little bit.
192
00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:27,120
That was his way of, like,
controlling how I was behaving,
193
00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:30,240
and he was on quite a lot of drugs.
194
00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:33,280
LSD, cocaine, ketamine.
195
00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:40,120
Sam is making Esther take
illegal substances.
196
00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:42,480
He is isolating her so much,
197
00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:44,920
stopping her seeing her friends.
198
00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:46,640
He has these public outbursts,
199
00:11:46,680 --> 00:11:48,160
yet she is the embarrassment.
200
00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:49,960
Can you see the gaslighting
201
00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:52,880
and the manipulation
and that control?
202
00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:55,560
This is a recipe for disaster.
203
00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:27,480
I finished uni for the year,
handed all my assignments in,
204
00:12:27,520 --> 00:12:29,280
and I was just so relieved
205
00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:32,200
and happy to be finished for
the summer.
206
00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:37,520
I was so excited my baby girl was
coming home.
207
00:12:37,560 --> 00:12:39,600
She had a stack of tickets for all
208
00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:42,480
the things she was
going to be doing over the summer.
209
00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:44,640
She knew she was going to have
a regular income
210
00:12:44,680 --> 00:12:46,200
because she'd sorted out a job,
211
00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:51,200
and it was going to be a really,
really good summer for her.
212
00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:01,600
I was really excited
to just see everyone again,
213
00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:04,480
spend time with them, have fun.
214
00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:07,280
Sam was really excited as well,
and he was texting me
215
00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:11,080
before we met up together, saying,
"I need to get on the vodkas,"
216
00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:13,760
because it was going to be a
big night.
217
00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:24,680
The drugs that he told me he was
taking that night,
218
00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:28,720
I'd said, "That's going to be bad
for you. Don't do it."
219
00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:30,680
And as far as I knew,
220
00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:33,000
he hadn't taken acid yet.
221
00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:37,200
But the cocaine
and ketamine was just regular.
222
00:13:38,560 --> 00:13:42,640
JANE HIND:Esther was advising him,
it seems, to not take the drugs.
223
00:13:42,680 --> 00:13:44,600
The fact that she was doing
that was certainly
224
00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:47,560
Esther being more self-autonomous,
225
00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:49,320
you know, speaking up.
226
00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:52,360
Perhaps somewhere in that he could
see she was evolving.
227
00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:56,200
She was not going to be this person
who he could fully
228
00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:58,760
100% control as much as he used to.
229
00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:03,000
CLUB MUSIC PLAYS
230
00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:09,040
There was lots of drinks,
lots of cocktails,
231
00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:11,920
everyone catching up,
everyone seeing each other again,
232
00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:13,720
taking loads of pictures.
233
00:14:13,760 --> 00:14:16,240
It was really good. Really exciting.
234
00:14:24,040 --> 00:14:28,000
I was on a boy's shoulders,
my friend,
235
00:14:28,040 --> 00:14:30,600
and Sam's friend had said to him,
236
00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:33,680
"Isn't that your girlfriend
over there on someone shoulders?"
237
00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:36,360
And I think that's what made him
storm out.
238
00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:42,120
We already know Sam's temper flips,
like this.
239
00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:46,760
And he has just taken
a cocktail of drugs,
240
00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:52,200
which are only going to enhance that
volatile "Bad Sam".
241
00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:55,280
He's stormed out that many times
242
00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:58,240
that I just think it's funny,
but I just want to check on him,
243
00:14:58,280 --> 00:14:59,960
check if he's OK,
244
00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:02,320
so I follow him out.
245
00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:18,080
There's a memory of
a man shouting from the window
246
00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:20,080
of the house that we were
in front of,
247
00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:22,000
trying to get him to stop.
248
00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:23,560
But Sam looks up
249
00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:25,440
and then looks back down
and carries on.
250
00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:34,120
He was like an animal.
251
00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:37,680
I've spoken to the people whose
house it was in front of,
252
00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:40,600
and they heard me saying,
"Stop, you're going to kill me."
253
00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:46,840
SIRENS BLARE
When he was arrested,
254
00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:48,240
I was unconscious,
255
00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:50,840
and he was pacing around, saying,
"I am God. I am God."
256
00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:58,600
He has just committed
the most horrific of assaults,
257
00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:01,760
pretty much leaving
Esther for dead,
258
00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:04,280
and then he parades around when
the police turn up,
259
00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:05,840
shouting, "I am God."
260
00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:08,400
Who is this man? He's...
261
00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:09,880
He's lost control.
262
00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:13,000
BANGING ON DOOR
263
00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:15,840
VICTORIA:I'm being woken up by
banging at the front door.
264
00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:17,880
BANGING CONTINUES
265
00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:21,880
I assumed it was Esther having
actually lost her key
266
00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:23,320
and trying to get back in,
267
00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:25,520
because that wouldn't have been
the first time.
268
00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:28,320
I got to the door
and it's a policewoman
269
00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:31,120
with the lights still flashing
on the van.
270
00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:36,640
And that's when everything
changed forever.
271
00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:42,560
This policewoman came in
and she said,
272
00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:45,680
"Go and put some clothes on,
I need to take you to the hospital.
273
00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:47,560
"Your daughter's in the hospital."
274
00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:49,160
And I was...
275
00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:52,840
..not really understanding what was
going on.
276
00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:54,680
And I said,
"Well, how serious is it?"
277
00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:57,280
And she said, "Well, it's that
serious that I'm here telling you
278
00:16:57,320 --> 00:17:00,440
"to put some clothes on. I'm taking
you straight to the hospital."
279
00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,360
I was just...shaking.
280
00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:07,680
I think I grabbed a T-shirt
and a pair of trackies
281
00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:10,720
and just left with the policewoman.
282
00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:13,240
SIRENS BLARE
283
00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:18,480
She was barely recognisable
in that bed.
284
00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:21,640
It was just...horrific.
285
00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:26,320
The paramedic on the scene said
he'd never seen
286
00:17:26,360 --> 00:17:30,160
such severe injuries on
somebody still alive.
287
00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:31,880
Her head was swollen
288
00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:34,400
to, like, three times
its normal size.
289
00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:37,080
Her eyeballs, like,
the swelling around her eyes
290
00:17:37,120 --> 00:17:39,920
looked like tennis balls under
her skin.
291
00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:43,400
Her hair was thick,
matted with her blood,
292
00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:45,880
and there was just cuts all over
her face.
293
00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:48,240
They've got a breathing mask on her
294
00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:51,600
and she's just this lifeless...
295
00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:53,360
..lump in the bed.
296
00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:56,000
MONITOR BEEPS
297
00:18:01,120 --> 00:18:03,960
I suffered from a broken nose,
298
00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:06,480
broken cheekbones,
299
00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:09,480
my jaw was shattered,
and I lost eight teeth.
300
00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:13,560
Every bone in my face was broken.
301
00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:22,440
I actually had an imprint of
a Doc Marten on my face.
302
00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:40,520
VICTORIA:We had police liaison
people coming to see us,
303
00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:43,160
and they were telling us
little bits at a time.
304
00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:45,400
"So she's been assaulted,
this has happened,
305
00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:47,560
"we've got somebody in custody."
306
00:18:49,120 --> 00:18:52,720
And then eventually they said
it was Sam that had done it.
307
00:18:56,400 --> 00:18:58,400
And I was just...
308
00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:07,040
Devastated isn't a strong enough
word for what it was.
309
00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:09,240
My first reaction was,
310
00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:11,320
"I'm going to kill him.
311
00:19:11,360 --> 00:19:13,000
"I'm going to kill him for this."
312
00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:21,640
I remember just scrolling on
Facebook
313
00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:23,840
and this article coming up,
saying there was
314
00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:27,640
an incident on Marton Road,
"Suspected assault,
315
00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:29,800
"area cordoned off by police."
316
00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:34,000
You see it and you think,
"Oh, I wonder what's gone on,"
317
00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:37,680
and then you don't think twice
about it, really.
318
00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:40,040
Until one of our best friends
rang me and said,
319
00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:43,960
"Oh, the incident that happened on
Marton Road,
320
00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:45,240
"it was Esther.
321
00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:48,040
"Sam's attacked her
and she's in intensive care."
322
00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:52,960
I was just lost for words, really,
323
00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:55,800
in absolute shock,
I just burst into tears.
324
00:19:56,960 --> 00:19:59,080
We didn't know what was going on
at that time,
325
00:19:59,120 --> 00:20:02,040
whether she was going to be OK.
She was in a critical condition.
326
00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:05,040
And you just automatically think,
"What if she dies?"
327
00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:16,520
As much as I could,
I sat by her bedside,
328
00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:19,000
just begging her not to die.
329
00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:21,400
And there was one...
330
00:20:23,120 --> 00:20:27,120
There was one time, and her brother
and sister would come up to visit,
331
00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:29,360
and I could see them out
the corner of my eye...
332
00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:32,640
..and I was trying to decide...
333
00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:36,840
..if I followed her, if we lost her,
334
00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:39,000
or I stayed for the other two.
335
00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:41,240
I felt torn.
336
00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:47,200
I didn't want to...
337
00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:49,280
..be alive if she wasn't.
338
00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:53,240
I was saying to the doctors,
339
00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:55,560
"Is there a chance
she might never wake up?"
340
00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:01,400
We went into a little side room
and he started saying,
341
00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:03,640
like,
"We're doing everything we can",
342
00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:06,720
and I said again, "Is there a chance
she might never wake up?"
343
00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:09,640
And he just said,
"Yes, at this point,
344
00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:11,720
"there is still a chance she might
never wake up."
345
00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:14,000
MONITOR BEEPS
346
00:21:39,120 --> 00:21:41,360
VENTILATOR BLOWS
347
00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:44,160
I think I saw her starting
348
00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:46,840
to respond before anybody else did.
349
00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:50,800
Like, she was doing little nods when
I was saying, "I need you, Esther.
350
00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:52,520
"You're going to stay
with me, aren't you?
351
00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:54,400
"You're going to come back to us,
aren't you?"
352
00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:55,680
And she'd do a little nod.
353
00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:00,680
This is James Cook Hospitals.
354
00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:04,240
The A&E is over there,
that's where I first went in.
355
00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:07,320
And then I moved to ICU,
which is over there.
356
00:22:08,360 --> 00:22:11,400
Then I was downstairs in Ward 26.
357
00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:14,920
It feels strange being back.
358
00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:17,920
I spent so much time here
359
00:22:17,960 --> 00:22:20,120
but a lot of it I can't remember.
360
00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:24,200
And most of it I can only remember
cos I'm reminded.
361
00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:27,920
It's only when someone explains
what happened to me.
362
00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:37,920
I've got two metal plates in my jaw,
363
00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:40,160
holding that together.
364
00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:44,360
I've got stitches on my nose from
sewing my nose back together,
365
00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:45,680
cos it was wide open.
366
00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:49,920
I have a scar on my head,
367
00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:52,320
a scar on my chin where
368
00:22:52,360 --> 00:22:55,480
I'm guessing is where my teeth have
gone through.
369
00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:59,880
I've had reconstructive dentistry
370
00:22:59,920 --> 00:23:02,480
to replace the teeth that I lost.
371
00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:05,440
I had to have a bone graft
372
00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:09,320
from my jaw to the roof of my mouth,
373
00:23:09,360 --> 00:23:11,240
so that they had something
374
00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:13,520
to screw some teeth into.
375
00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:23,640
She was waking up a little
bit more,
376
00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:25,880
but not an awful lot.
377
00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:27,360
But it's still upsetting
378
00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:30,080
because they have no way
of knowing whether or not
379
00:23:30,120 --> 00:23:31,560
she's going to get any better.
380
00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:33,280
Cos it was her brain
that was damaged,
381
00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:36,120
and there's just no way of knowing
382
00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:38,880
whether or not that's
going to get any better.
383
00:23:41,120 --> 00:23:43,680
When I went in to see her,
384
00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:45,920
all I can remember is
just thinking,
385
00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:49,680
"She just looks like
a totally different person."
386
00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:53,280
It was more of the way that she was
acting and speaking,
387
00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:56,880
it was like she'd reverted
to being a child.
388
00:23:56,920 --> 00:23:58,640
It was just like
389
00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:00,600
the lights were on
but no-one was home.
390
00:24:01,960 --> 00:24:05,280
She wasn't herself anymore.
391
00:24:06,360 --> 00:24:08,600
And we didn't know if she ever
would be.
392
00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:13,000
But I knew I'd be there...
393
00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:16,040
..to help her, to care for her,
394
00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:21,160
to do whatever she needed
to have the best life possible.
395
00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:32,040
During my time in hospital,
396
00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:35,360
I was trying to piece
my whole life together.
397
00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:39,200
I had memories of a boyfriend,
398
00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:42,320
and memories that
I'd been away with someone,
399
00:24:42,360 --> 00:24:44,680
I'd spent time with someone but,
400
00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:47,320
"Why isn't that person visiting me?
401
00:24:47,360 --> 00:24:50,360
"Why is no-one mentioning him?
Did I make that up?"
402
00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:54,000
Quite a few times when my friends
would come in,
403
00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:56,000
they'd just completely avoid
the question
404
00:24:56,040 --> 00:24:57,960
and talk about something else.
405
00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:00,000
Like, "Oh, remember when we did
this?"
406
00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:05,480
To, like, switch my mind from being
fixed on, "Where's my boyfriend?"
407
00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:08,960
It was really hard to navigate.
408
00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:11,560
How do you tell her
what's happened and...
409
00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:14,960
..what's gone on and who done it?
410
00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:17,120
She was already so vulnerable
and...
411
00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:20,800
..really finding it hard to process
412
00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:22,360
everything that had went on.
413
00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:30,120
Having to listen to her flashbacks,
414
00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:33,480
having to hear her plead
for her life
415
00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:35,600
is with me forever now.
416
00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:37,200
Like, my heart was already broken
417
00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:39,040
and that just finished me off.
418
00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:42,400
When she's going through that,
I'm holding her as tight as I can
419
00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:44,160
and I'm trying to reassure her.
420
00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:47,120
And she's still that upset,
and it's just...
421
00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:54,720
..it's really upsetting
to think of her that frightened.
422
00:26:02,360 --> 00:26:05,640
We went in, like,
with nurses and doctors, and...
423
00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:08,680
..sat around the bed with her
424
00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:12,520
and just told her that it was
Sam that had hurt her.
425
00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:15,560
And then she just went,
"Well, I'm never going to
426
00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:17,200
"want to speak to him again, am I?"
427
00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:20,520
And then just wanted to get on
with, "What time's lunch, then?"
428
00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:23,560
Yeah, that was just...it.
429
00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:45,640
For the rest of my life,
I'll grieve the girl we lost.
430
00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:49,680
Cos while
the Esther I'm left with...
431
00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:52,120
..is absolutely incredible,
432
00:26:52,160 --> 00:26:54,880
she's an inspiration to everybody,
433
00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:57,040
that's not the original.
434
00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:04,200
The attack has had
a lasting effect on my memory.
435
00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:09,240
I was just so happy to be back home,
436
00:27:09,280 --> 00:27:12,400
but I still had my occupational
therapist coming to see me.
437
00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:15,160
I wasn't able to make a cup of tea,
438
00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:19,280
I wasn't able to make my dinner
for myself.
439
00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:21,280
I needed a lot of help,
440
00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:24,000
but I didn't realise at
the time why I needed the help.
441
00:27:24,040 --> 00:27:27,560
I'd get quite stressed that
I couldn't do things.
442
00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:31,560
She took everything literally.
443
00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:33,840
If she was given an instruction,
444
00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:37,120
then she would follow that
to the letter.
445
00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:40,560
She was very, very vulnerable
because of the brain injury.
446
00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:07,480
I went on the radio
and did an interview and I said,
447
00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:08,960
"I don't wish him any harm.
448
00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:10,320
"He's got a reasonable sentence
449
00:28:10,360 --> 00:28:13,920
"and now I just want him to
serve that,
450
00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:16,040
"and we'll get on with our lives."
451
00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:29,200
I was furious.
452
00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:31,760
When we were at court,
they'd asked if we wanted
453
00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:33,800
a restraining order,
454
00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:35,960
and we just didn't think
it was necessary.
455
00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:38,800
I asked Esther on the day,
and she turned her nose up
456
00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:40,520
and said, "No, don't need it."
457
00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:51,080
At this point, I only had good
memories from the relationship.
458
00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:54,480
That's when I thought,
"OK, maybe I should get in touch."
459
00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:57,760
Maybe this could be
the start of, like,
460
00:28:57,800 --> 00:29:01,200
me getting my life back together.
461
00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:04,840
How it was before hospital
was in a relationship with Sam,
462
00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:08,280
so I just wanted
to get back to normal,
463
00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:10,280
to just forget about it
464
00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:12,120
and carry on living life as I was.
465
00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:17,400
This is where I'd come on my
daily walks,
466
00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:21,360
and I'd time it so that it's when
I'd get the calls from prison.
467
00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:23,680
There'd be daily phone calls,
468
00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:26,760
but I'd time them,
so I'd be out of the house,
469
00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:28,560
so we'd get a bit of privacy.
470
00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:33,120
When she told me that they were
still in a relationship,
471
00:29:33,160 --> 00:29:35,840
I tried to hide my shock,
472
00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:41,080
but it was just utter disbelief
that...they were still together.
473
00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:46,120
So he'd get 45 minutes a day,
474
00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:48,760
so sometimes he'd say,
475
00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:52,880
"Make sure you're not busy
because I want the full 45."
476
00:29:54,040 --> 00:29:56,400
I didn't really think that much
of it at the time
477
00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:58,640
because I just thought, "Oh,
he's so in love with me."
478
00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:00,880
Like, this is just...
"He just wants to speak to me,
479
00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:04,920
"that's his priority. So I'll
make sure I'm available for him."
480
00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:08,640
Esther was in a very fragile,
vulnerable place.
481
00:30:08,680 --> 00:30:10,880
And although her body
was recovering,
482
00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:13,240
her emotions were still very much
catching up.
483
00:30:13,280 --> 00:30:14,920
They were still very traumatised.
484
00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:17,800
Your kind of looking at
a trauma-bonding dynamic
485
00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:19,760
that's growing there between them.
486
00:30:26,360 --> 00:30:28,320
Unfortunately, it's something that
we do see,
487
00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:31,240
even after a horrific attack
like this,
488
00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:33,360
the victims don't walk away.
489
00:30:33,400 --> 00:30:36,600
Esther still is under his control.
490
00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:41,400
LAINLEY:For something of that
severity to have happened
491
00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:43,680
and for her to still be with him,
492
00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:47,000
what hold does he have over her?
493
00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:51,560
What would it be like when he got
out of prison?
494
00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:53,720
It just didn't bear thinking about.
495
00:31:23,880 --> 00:31:26,520
So, this is the box of letters
496
00:31:26,560 --> 00:31:29,680
and cards that I got from
Sam when he was in prison.
497
00:31:34,280 --> 00:31:36,760
They're very affectionate,
498
00:31:36,800 --> 00:31:39,200
very...romantic.
499
00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:41,960
Like, he would remind me of how good
500
00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:44,960
the relationship was,
but it's not anymore.
501
00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:48,520
"But that's just because I'm in
prison for trying to kill you."
502
00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:55,360
JANE:Even from prison, Sam had very
strong control over Esther, still.
503
00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:59,440
He's not now this aggressor
that's controlling
504
00:31:59,480 --> 00:32:02,240
and coercing her in
a very obvious way.
505
00:32:02,280 --> 00:32:05,560
It seems he is using more
subtle tactics.
506
00:32:06,560 --> 00:32:10,880
He would write her letters,
spoon-feeding her words of seduction
507
00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:13,240
and kindness and love.
508
00:32:13,280 --> 00:32:15,840
And Esther did take the bait.
509
00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:19,120
LAINLEY:It was as if nothing had
happened,
510
00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:21,480
as if it was a normal relationship.
511
00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:25,600
She still seemed like she was
infatuated with him.
512
00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:30,280
He'd be telling me things like how
lucky he feels
513
00:32:30,320 --> 00:32:31,880
to have such a beautiful girl.
514
00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:34,360
"You brighten up my darkest days."
515
00:32:34,400 --> 00:32:37,200
I felt very loved, appreciated.
516
00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:39,400
And although it was
a difficult situation
517
00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:41,720
with my boyfriend being
so far away from me...
518
00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:48,960
..I was still in a happy,
committed relationship with him.
519
00:33:01,240 --> 00:33:03,600
At the beginning, Mum was doing
everything that she could
520
00:33:03,640 --> 00:33:06,280
to stop me continuing
this relationship.
521
00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:07,640
She got in touch with the prison,
522
00:33:07,680 --> 00:33:10,040
in contact with the police.
523
00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:14,040
But then it got to
a point where, if I was choosing
524
00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:16,000
to see him and carry on speaking
to him,
525
00:33:16,040 --> 00:33:18,360
there wasn't much that anyone else
could do
526
00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:20,000
because I was going to do it anyway.
527
00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:24,560
She was almost murdered at
18 years old,
528
00:33:24,600 --> 00:33:26,720
and all the while,
529
00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:30,120
while I know she's off
visiting him in prison,
530
00:33:30,160 --> 00:33:33,720
there was nothing I could do,
nothing at all I could do.
531
00:33:35,120 --> 00:33:37,800
She was coming out
with some really hurtful things -
532
00:33:37,840 --> 00:33:40,840
how I didn't really care about
her happiness,
533
00:33:40,880 --> 00:33:43,080
and I was just against.
534
00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:45,360
And I'm like...
535
00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:47,240
It was really hard
and really hurtful
536
00:33:47,280 --> 00:33:49,200
and really upsetting for me.
537
00:33:49,240 --> 00:33:51,480
But, of course,
it's not Esther's fault,
538
00:33:51,520 --> 00:33:55,640
so I still have to be there
for her and protect her.
539
00:33:56,760 --> 00:34:00,000
I did have a few friends who'd said,
540
00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:02,440
"This isn't right, you shouldn't be
back in touch with him."
541
00:34:02,480 --> 00:34:04,400
I'd cut them friends off
because I thought,
542
00:34:04,440 --> 00:34:07,280
"You're not going to support me
and what makes me happy,
543
00:34:07,320 --> 00:34:09,640
"so I'm not going to speak
to you anymore."
544
00:34:09,680 --> 00:34:11,800
It was hard because I didn't
want to upset her,
545
00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:15,520
because, to me, she still seemed
really vulnerable, really emotional,
546
00:34:15,560 --> 00:34:19,480
and she's gone through such
an ordeal.
547
00:34:19,520 --> 00:34:22,400
But you want to grab her
and shake her
548
00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:27,560
and say, "What are you playing at?
Don't be with him, don't see him."
549
00:34:27,600 --> 00:34:30,600
It would have been very hard
for her friends and family.
550
00:34:30,640 --> 00:34:32,760
These are people who thought
they'd lost her
551
00:34:32,800 --> 00:34:35,120
when he nearly
killed her that night.
552
00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:39,040
To know that she was back in touch
with her abuser
553
00:34:39,080 --> 00:34:42,000
would have opened so many doors of
fear in terms of,
554
00:34:42,040 --> 00:34:45,080
"Is he going to do it again?
Does she not see this?"
555
00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:48,240
And, of course, you know,
at that point she didn't.
556
00:35:07,320 --> 00:35:10,440
I was spending a lot
of time by myself in my room
557
00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:12,960
because I wasn't speaking
to my mum much,
558
00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:15,680
so I was on social media
quite a lot.
559
00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:21,160
I'd compare myself to other people,
other relationships,
560
00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:24,360
and I was like, "Right, I need to do
some self-help work...
561
00:35:25,360 --> 00:35:28,320
"..and see the value in myself."
562
00:35:30,120 --> 00:35:35,200
The things that he would bring up
started to add up in my head.
563
00:35:35,240 --> 00:35:38,080
And the more I started
to value myself,
564
00:35:38,120 --> 00:35:41,040
that's when
I was becoming less tolerant
565
00:35:41,080 --> 00:35:43,560
to disrespectful comments from Sam.
566
00:35:44,600 --> 00:35:46,560
It was like I was, like, growing up.
567
00:35:48,560 --> 00:35:52,440
So, one occasion, I'd questioned
something that Sam said,
568
00:35:52,480 --> 00:35:55,520
and he sent me a letter saying,
"Please know that it is OK
569
00:35:55,560 --> 00:35:57,800
"to feel the way you do sometimes.
570
00:35:57,840 --> 00:36:00,040
"Time apart can play tricks
571
00:36:00,080 --> 00:36:02,640
"but know these feelings are
only temporary."
572
00:36:04,040 --> 00:36:05,360
We hadn't seen each other,
573
00:36:05,400 --> 00:36:07,960
and he said that "because
we're not together,
574
00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:10,520
"you're starting to
question things."
575
00:36:11,680 --> 00:36:15,400
So the more I was working on myself
and my self-esteem,
576
00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:19,640
my confidence, the more
I was aware of red flags.
577
00:36:30,640 --> 00:36:33,200
I was at a beauty appointment.
578
00:36:33,240 --> 00:36:35,080
I don't know how it came into
conversation,
579
00:36:35,120 --> 00:36:38,600
but she was like,
"Oh, I went to school with Sam."
580
00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:41,320
She was saying, "I can't believe,
like, what he did,
581
00:36:41,360 --> 00:36:42,880
"how horrible it was.
582
00:36:42,920 --> 00:36:45,080
"And I didn't realise it was you,
583
00:36:45,120 --> 00:36:48,080
"but me and my friends, we're all
completely on your side."
584
00:36:48,120 --> 00:36:51,120
And that was the first time
I'd seen it,
585
00:36:51,160 --> 00:36:54,360
seen the situation from
an outsider perspective
586
00:36:54,400 --> 00:36:57,120
who didn't have any bias whatsoever.
587
00:37:04,880 --> 00:37:07,880
So that was the first time
I'd seen the situation from
588
00:37:07,920 --> 00:37:10,240
an outside perspective.
589
00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:16,000
And she was saying, how, like,
"sad we all felt for you."
590
00:37:39,680 --> 00:37:42,840
I think it was that night or
the next day, I emailed him
591
00:37:42,880 --> 00:37:45,880
and I just said, "By the way, like,
I'm just going to take a break.
592
00:37:45,920 --> 00:37:47,720
"Don't ring me...for a while
593
00:37:47,760 --> 00:37:50,400
"and I'll let you know when I
want to speak to you again.
594
00:37:50,440 --> 00:37:53,400
"But right now, I've got
a lot of healing to do,
595
00:37:53,440 --> 00:37:55,760
"and I don't think
you would help with that."
596
00:38:04,360 --> 00:38:07,760
I sent the final message that said,
597
00:38:07,800 --> 00:38:11,920
"I'm giving you back all your energy
that you've put into me,
598
00:38:11,960 --> 00:38:14,760
"but I'm taking back everything that
I've given to you,
599
00:38:14,800 --> 00:38:18,680
"and this is the end of it.
Don't speak to me again."
600
00:38:19,720 --> 00:38:22,280
This is the last letter
that he sent me.
601
00:38:22,320 --> 00:38:24,480
And he talks about how...
602
00:38:24,520 --> 00:38:27,120
..he understands,
I've explained this well,
603
00:38:27,160 --> 00:38:30,880
and he's excited to see what this
new chapter brings for us both,
604
00:38:30,920 --> 00:38:32,480
not to worry about him,
605
00:38:32,520 --> 00:38:36,520
because I've explained everything
maturely and honestly.
606
00:38:37,600 --> 00:38:40,760
He'll be holding off on
the calls for now
607
00:38:40,800 --> 00:38:44,320
but I can always come to him
for support.
608
00:38:44,360 --> 00:38:46,240
"Have fun and stay safe."
609
00:38:46,280 --> 00:38:48,240
That was the last I've heard of him.
610
00:39:12,120 --> 00:39:14,280
Really important.
611
00:39:20,320 --> 00:39:22,240
It's changed my life.
612
00:39:31,920 --> 00:39:33,880
The fact that she had the courage
613
00:39:33,920 --> 00:39:38,920
to leave him at all just shows how
strong and brave she is.
614
00:39:39,920 --> 00:39:41,680
JANE:It was Esther at the helm.
615
00:39:41,720 --> 00:39:44,120
Esther realising, you know what?
616
00:39:44,160 --> 00:39:47,040
Only she is the one that can pull
her out of this.
617
00:39:47,080 --> 00:39:48,560
And that realisation, I think,
618
00:39:48,600 --> 00:39:52,080
really fuelled her to realising,
you know what?
619
00:39:52,120 --> 00:39:54,040
She can stand on her own two feet.
620
00:39:55,360 --> 00:39:58,000
VICTORIA:She'd got there on her
own, she'd figured it out
621
00:39:58,040 --> 00:40:01,040
and she'd ended the relationship
with him.
622
00:40:01,080 --> 00:40:04,600
She'd finally done
what was right for her.
623
00:40:04,640 --> 00:40:07,080
It was such a massive,
624
00:40:07,120 --> 00:40:10,480
huge weight off my shoulders...
625
00:40:11,520 --> 00:40:14,640
..to see that and
to know that it was over.
626
00:40:16,080 --> 00:40:18,040
LAINLEY:When she cut off contact
with Sam,
627
00:40:18,080 --> 00:40:20,280
she was in such a better place.
628
00:40:20,320 --> 00:40:22,680
She's just started getting
herself back.
629
00:40:22,720 --> 00:40:24,280
She started doing things
for herself.
630
00:40:24,320 --> 00:40:26,280
She started going to the gym.
631
00:40:26,320 --> 00:40:27,720
She wanted to go back to uni.
632
00:40:27,760 --> 00:40:33,240
She was just more and more like the
old Esther, pre-Sam.
633
00:40:34,360 --> 00:40:37,240
But she was also this new
Esther that was stronger.
634
00:40:52,640 --> 00:40:56,040
I do really struggle now
with my short-term memory.
635
00:40:56,080 --> 00:41:00,720
But then even from 2017 to 20...
636
00:41:01,840 --> 00:41:05,400
..21, I don't really remember much
unless I'm reminded,
637
00:41:05,440 --> 00:41:10,000
or I see pictures,
or I'm told stories from my friends.
638
00:41:10,040 --> 00:41:13,560
And then 2021 is still a bit blurry.
639
00:41:23,160 --> 00:41:25,080
To come back from...
640
00:41:26,360 --> 00:41:28,240
..not being able to breathe,
641
00:41:28,280 --> 00:41:32,400
having to learn to walk and talk
and eat and think,
642
00:41:32,440 --> 00:41:34,920
and then she only missed
a year of her education.
643
00:41:34,960 --> 00:41:37,120
She was back at uni and graduated.
644
00:41:38,120 --> 00:41:40,320
She retrained as a personal trainer,
645
00:41:40,360 --> 00:41:42,560
and she lifts more than she weighs.
646
00:41:43,560 --> 00:41:49,200
She's achieved so much that would be
incredible achievements anyway,
647
00:41:49,240 --> 00:41:50,680
but to have done it...
648
00:41:51,720 --> 00:41:55,480
..starting where she did,
when she had to start again,
649
00:41:55,520 --> 00:41:57,200
there's no words.
650
00:41:58,600 --> 00:42:00,160
Yeah, I'm proud of her.
651
00:42:01,960 --> 00:42:05,440
She's absolutely a survivor.
She's a role model
652
00:42:05,480 --> 00:42:09,200
for all of us,
and we're all so proud of her.
653
00:42:10,720 --> 00:42:15,760
INTERVIEWER:Do you think that she
will ever forget this experience?
654
00:42:15,800 --> 00:42:17,480
No, she'll never forget.
655
00:42:17,520 --> 00:42:19,400
None of us will ever forget.
656
00:42:20,680 --> 00:42:22,720
It's with us forever,
but she shouldn't.
657
00:42:22,760 --> 00:42:26,400
There's no shame
for her in what happened.
658
00:42:26,440 --> 00:42:29,360
She was just...
She was an absolute victim.
659
00:42:31,040 --> 00:42:33,880
It's really important for me
to share my story
660
00:42:33,920 --> 00:42:38,520
because that's four years
of my life that I've lost
661
00:42:38,560 --> 00:42:40,840
to this relationship.
662
00:42:41,840 --> 00:42:43,600
And...
663
00:42:43,640 --> 00:42:44,960
..I just think to myself,
664
00:42:45,000 --> 00:42:47,800
"You don't go through something just
to go through it."
665
00:42:47,840 --> 00:42:50,800
If I can help even one...person
666
00:42:50,840 --> 00:42:55,560
who's in a similar situation,
then that's enough for me.
667
00:42:59,800 --> 00:43:02,800
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