Knife victim speaks about brutal attack in her own home (From Hereford Times)

Knife victim speaks about brutal attack in her own home

9:30am Sunday 2nd September 2012 in News By Paul Broome

A MOTHER-of-two from Herefordshire whose fiancé slashed her throat to “make her look ugly” has spoken of her six-hour ordeal.

Natalie Allman was attacked by Jason Hughes while in bed at the Quarry Close home in Ross -on-Wye she shared with the 40-year-old and their two-year-old twin sons.

Hughes, a former Territorial Army soldier, was jailed for nine years earlier this month having been found guilty by a jury at Worcester Crown Court of malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

He had initially agreed to the pair separating but had continued to live with Natalie, who is 26.

But on February 3 this year the victim said she woke to find Hughes hitting her.

He later used the blade of a multi-tool to make a 20cm cut across her neck.

Natalie told the jury that it was six hours before she was “allowed” to call the emergency services. She later needed cosmetic surgery to rebuild her throat.

“He was shouting at me the whole night long ‘I'm going to kill you’,” she said, speaking after sentencing.

“I was trying to stop him every way I could. At one point I just lay still and I think he thought I was dead so that’s why he stopped.

“He said when it gets light I could call paramedics. He hid my mobile phone all night, I kept trying to find it.

“There were three attacks, at midnight, 3am and 6am. He tried to suffocate me with the pillow all three times.

“At midnight I woke up and he was over me with one leg either side punching me. I thought it was with his fists but I later found out it was with a weight.”

Natalie said the pair were due to get married but had split up because of his drinking.

“He could drink one litre of vodka or three litres of cider in one day,” she said.

“I was moving out the following week which he knew. He tried to make up that I had said I wouldn’t let him see the children but I never said that.”

• The 24-hour National Domestic Violence Freephone Helpline is 0808 2000 247. The service is run by Women's Aid and Refuge.