'He promised to keep me safe – months later I was terrified he would kill me'

When Mercedes Stephens first met Robert Dumazel, he presented himself as 'special'. He promised her the world and reassured her he would never let anyone hurt her. She could never have foreseen that several months later she would feel so terrified of him that she wondered: 'Is he going to be the one to kill me?' Lucy John reports

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Mercedes Stephens left with facial injuries after one assault

D URING Mercedes Stephens' eight-month relationship with Robert Dumazel, he threw mirrors at her, hit her, followed her and prevented her from leaving the house.

He called her names, he smashed up her car, he chased her in public, and he put down her family and friends.

He stripped Mercedes of her independence and self-worth so severely that she felt trapped, worthless and scared during her many attempts at leaving him. It led to her losing her job as well as her friends and support network.

Spiteful Dumazel's behaviour was fuelled by his own insecurities, and he became jealous about men Mercedes knew before the pair had even met.

As we reported last week, Dumazel, 24, found himself in the dock at Cardiff Crown Court for the abuse. He received a suspended sentence and celebrated outside the court afterwards, smiling and pumping his fists in the air.

After the police became involved and the relationship ended in April last year, Mercedes said she feels "so much happier" and as though she has "a reason to live".

The 20-year-old from Penarth has bravely opened up about what happened in the hope that it will empower other survivors of domestic abuse to seek help and to encourage other men to call out such behaviour.

"We need to start holding these people accountable," she said. "Regardless of whether it is your brother, friend, uncle, or son."

About two months after the pair met, Mercedes, then 18, said Dumazel, then 22, became physically violent towards her. He promised "it would never happen again," she said, but in reality the abuse intensified.

She said: "I was on my iPad watching something and I passed the iPad to him so he could watch. He then saw messages sent [before I met him].