TO domestic abuse The survivor whose vile ex-partner placed a tracker on her vehicle and accused her of smelling condoms has spoken up after she was finally brought to justice.
Suzie Giddens, 32, has recounted how her partner Timothy Lenihan, 41, made her life hell for nearly 10 years by subjecting her to a torrent of violence and manipulative suicide threats.
The former controlling partner received a seven-year restraining order last month after he confessed to assault and coercive behavior. Wales Online reports.
Speaking publicly for the first time about her ordeal, Suzie stated that she wanted her story to inspire other women who feel "trapped" in an abusive relationship or situation.
Suzie said she even feared for her life after Lenihan secretly implemented a tracker in her car, which he checked up to 15 times a day and used to follow her.
During their nine-year relationship, Lenihan also tormented Suzie using ridiculous methods to "prove" that she was cheating on him.
Suzie said, "When I came home after weekends with my friends, she would say 'I know what you've done' and even accuse me of smelling like condoms."
Lenihan also used Suzie's own phone to message the men in Facebook before taking a screenshot of the chats as "evidence" that she was cheating on him.
Suzie said: โI realized that the grammar was not quite correct. I couldn't believe he was on Facebook, pretending to be me, and texting another man.
"It was totally insane and it really opened my eyes as to how controlling and manipulative he could be."
The couple met at a festival in Peterborough, Cambs in 2011 before starting a relationship despite friends warning Suzie of Lenihan's "bad reputation".
A year after meeting, Lenihan assaulted Suzie, throwing her to the ground after they had been drinking, before apologizing to try to make up for her violence.
Suzie said: โThe violence was a bit scattered. After being violent with me, he invited me to dinner and was very nice to me.
"Every time I tried to leave, he would tell me he was feeling suicidal. It really tugged at my heartstrings and made me feel guilty."
In March of this year, Lenihan secretly installed a tracker in Suzie's car, which she checked 15 times a day and used to follow her to the home of a friend whom she had confided in about Lenihan's behavior.
Suzie said: "Tim monitored every movement and it got to the point where I stopped talking to this friend because I realized that my life might be in danger.
โWhen I realized that Tim was out of his house, all the blood disappeared from my face. I realized that somehow I knew exactly where it was. "
During the COVID-19 Lockdown, Suzie said she realized she was "desperately unhappy" with Lenihan, who "sat at home drinking all the time."
Suzie said, "I would go to bed around 8 or 9 pm because I couldn't be near him.
"I started to realize that I didn't like anything about him. I was desperately unhappy and he just didn't care."
One of Suzie's friends finally told her policeman about Lenihan's behavior when he showed up at her house after following Suzie with the car tracker.
(Image: Wales Online)
Lenihan, of Peterborough, Cambs, was finally brought to justice on July 28 when he received a seven-year restraining order after he admitted charges of coercive control and common battery.
A judge in Peterborough Crown Court it also approved a two-year community order, a 30-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, a 50-day program to build better relationships, and 50 hours of unpaid work.
Suzie said: โI feel so free; my life is under my control and it feels so liberating. Why should you trade your life for someone who doesn't treat you well and never has?
"Life can only get better after being in that kind of vile and toxic environment."
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