'Violent and narcissistic ex raped me while he thought I was asleep'

HERE was a time when Leisha Pengelly would have described her former partner as supportive and the perfect family man.

- LUCY JOHN

But as soon as she became pregnant with his baby, she says everything changed.Paul Hallisey became angry, controlling and paranoid about other men. He used his words to make Leisha feel small and worthless, and violence to make her feel scared - so scared she felt trapped and unable to escape him.

Hallisey's vile behaviour towards Leisha showed no bounds and culminated in him raping her in her own bed, telling her he was “enjoying it” as she begged him to stop. This month Hallisey was jailed for nearly a decade after he denied his actions and put Leisha through a trial.

“He’s a pig, a complete and utter pig,” she said.

“He preys on vulnerable women and he’s a coward. He's a violent, woman-beating bully. He’s toxic, he’s narcissistic, he’s a manipulator. He's a disgrace to men.”

As a survivor of sexual violence, Leisha has bravely waived her right to anonymity to tell the Western Mail about her experience. Now happily engaged to a new partner and looking forward to her future, Hallisey’s actions once saw Leisha sectioned and suicidal as her mental health hit rock bottom.

She hopes by sharing her experience - and positive experience of the justice system - she can raise awareness and empower others to seek help.

Describing how her nightmare began, Leisha, 31, from Cardiff, said: “We first met through a friend. At the very beginning he seemed brilliant. I couldn’t fault him.

“I can't say he spoiled me with gifts, but he spoiled me with attention. To begin with he was the perfect partner; supportive, there for me. I had two children prior to him and he was very hands-on and supportive.

“He seemed like the perfect family man and partner. All that changed when I got pregnant.”

Leisha explained how she fell pregnant in 2018 - six months into the relationship. She said by that point she had known him for more than a year and fully trusted him.

“He became controlling and he enjoyed his drink” she said.