TRAPPED INSIDE MY HOME WITH A MONSTER

Gemma Williams, 46, thought she'd die at the hands of her partner

- KERRY HARDEN

The pub door swung open and I watched as the man I’d been waiting for stepped inside. Dark hair, brown eyes and a big smile.

‘Gemma, good to meet you,’ he said, giving me a hug. It was November 2013 and I’d got chatting to David Barr, then 38, a few weeks before on Facebook. We’d swapped messages, then chatted on the phone. David was intelligent and well-spoken. He’d been to uni and worked in security.

David lived 30 miles away from me in Mold, Flintshire, but we’d met for a drink in my local pub. He was good-looking, but shy and modest, which I found attractive.

Before I knew it, it was late. David had a long way to drive home, but my house was nearby. ‘Do you mind if I crash on your sofa?’ he asked. I hesitated. I wasn’t looking for a one-night stand, but I felt safe, so I agreed.

The next day, we went for lunch, and the following weekend, when he cooked dinner at his flat, I felt myself falling for him.

Three months later, David moved in with me, bringing a holdall containing his clothes and some dumbbells. While I worked long hours at a food manufacturer, David was between jobs. He cooked, cleaned and pottered around the house.