'Before I met him I was buzzing with life... now I just want to stay at home, lock myself in and tell myself I'm safe'

It was the beginning of the worst three years of her life 'mentally, physically and emotionally'.

When Shameem Younis was contacted on Facebook and received a series of flattering messages, she had no idea how the man behind them would impact her life.

The divorced mother of three adult children was happy to be single and never went on dates. But, eventually she agreed to meet him in March 2021.

READ MORE: At first she thought their relationship was perfect. Then he showed his true colours

The man was Steven Halliday. He was 'funny' and without her asking for anything he showered her with Gucci, and Versace clothes, bags, and sunglasses.

"I had never seen this kind of money in my life," Shameem said. "I told him to stop. I did not want them. I didn't get to know any of his friends but he came across as really nice. He was funny and full of energy."

Working for a company supplying gas, water, electricity and telecommunication supply networks, Halliday appeared to be loaded. He took Shameem on eight holidays in one year - including Bangkok and the Canary Islands. But there was a dark side, that soon brutally emerged and culminated in him breaking her nose.

Now, Halliday, of of Goats Shore, Oldham, has been jailed for 20 months for engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour in an intimate relationship. A judge also imposed a ten-year restraining order prohibiting him from contacting his former partner.

Shameem, 49, from Tameside, told the Manchester Evening News: "As time went on I questioned why he had no friends and where his family were. He eventually told me he had eight children with four different women.

"He started to get pushy asking like 'what are you doing on the phone'. He was rude to my friends and family. Then he would say 'sorry' and tell me he had booked us a holiday."

During a hearing at Mold Crown Court, prosecutor Laura Knightly said the couple had been in a relationship from July 2021 which was "brilliant" for the first six months. But Halliday became controlling and coercive.

"At home if I was on the phone to my son he would tell me to get off the phone. Then, even though it was my house, because I had been on the phone he would put my pillows on the floor and I would have to sleep in the spare bedroom, and then he would come in and kick me. Once I was facing the window and he just came in and booted me and winded me.

"It was getting really bad and that is when I started to record the abuse. He kept saying sorry and then said he would go to counselling. You couldn't get him to leave the house, because he would beg you and start crying. I would feel sorry for him as he had no family and no friends. Now I know why he has no family or friends.

"He travels around but you are unaware of this when you meet him because he tells many lies. He claimed he had been battered - so you try and help him. I thought I could change him and help him, but then realised I couldn't.

"It got worse. He stopped the counselling - saying it was not for him. I would get messages off his ex-partners telling me things he had done."

The court heard that in one incident the couple went to Anglesey where the defendant was buying a caravan on May 14, 2022. They went for a meal and came back to the caravan.

But Halliday pushed his partner against a cooker and she fell to the floor in pain. By this time she felt he relationship was over.

However in June that year she resumed it, the court heard. The assaults continued and one day in July she made hot coffee at home. Halliday came downstairs and asked her why she had done it.

He took the coffee and threw it on her face, burning her. She then slipped over in the drink on the floor.

Shameem says her one huge relief is that she has not had any children with Halliday. "When this ended I did not have to ask for anything. That was it - I was gone," she said.

The catalyst for Shameem escaping from Halliday was a painful one. They had gone to Wales in August 2022 to attend a car boot sale when they were in Rhyl having a drink with a friend of Halliday's.

The court heard that Halliday assaulted her and pulled her by the hair with Shameem saying "Stop it! Get off me!"

Members of the public tried to help but Halliday said: "What are you going to do about it?" Later he thrust her head into a shop window, breaking it, with one witness describing a "tremendous bang", the court heard.

Due to her injuries the victim later went to Tameside Hospital for "nasal bone manipulation" under general anaesthetic.

"I thought I will try and have a relationship, try and work at this. It is mind boggling now how someone can have that effect on you," she added.

"After Rhyl I thought, this has got to stop. I knew then it was over. I actually then felt relief because I had protection - he could not come back to my house (under his bail conditions)."

Shameem bravely faced Halliday in court as he was sentenced after pleading guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour.

Sitting in Mold Crown Court behind a screen, she read out a victim statement. Sobbing and wiping her face with tissues, she chronicled the toll of the offences committed against her.

"The past three years were the worst three years of my life mentally, physically and emotionally," she said. She used to be a "loving and smiley person" who went to the gym and out with friends.

But she said Steven took her freedom as he became controlling and jealous. She said: "I felt I could not answer back because I did not want a slap and did not want my property damaged."

Before he met her she was "smiling and buzzing with life...now I don't want to face people. I just want to stay at home and lock myself in the house and tell myself I feel safe."

She added: "I lie awake at night as I don't want to close my eyes. I put the light on in my son's bedroom just so people think that my son is at home cos it makes me feel better."

Physically she is in touch with her GP and dentist as she has "weakened gums". Her nose "still has little function" although she has been told injuries will heal, she said.

Mentally she has had so much name calling by the defendant "I no longer feel content in my own body," she told the court from the witness box.

She said: "I just want the old me back. I'm scared to love, scared to laugh. I think 'Why would anyone want this damaged woman?' My life is just a mess."

She called the last couple of years "horrendous" and said she expects to see Halliday's van. Concluding, she said: "My life will never be the same again. I will take this heartache to the grave."

Shameem gave GMP a twelve-hour interview after they contacted her two weeks after Halliday assaulted her in Rhyl. "When I was interviewed in Wales they asked me if it was the first time he had attacked me and I said no, and then I just recalled it all.

"I had a shed built at the back of my house. Someone contacted the council about this big shed. So they knocked on the door and I had black eyes. They reported it and then a lady from a woman's centre discreetly contacted me asking me if I was in a safe place."

Using Clare's Law she made an application to check on Halliday. The scheme is named after Clare Wood, who was murdered by her abusive ex-boyfriend in Salford in 2009. It was formally rolled out in England and Wales in 2014, following the landmark campaign led by Clare’s father Michael Brown.

Also known as the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) it is a police policy giving people the right to know if their current or ex-partner has any previous history of violence or abuse.

"It came back as him having no record for domestic violence. I gave an interview to GMP and then I got a really nasty text message saying I was a 'fat dwarf'. The police tried to find out who had sent it but were not able to."

Asked how Halliday's behaviour had impacted on her life Shameem, wept before saying: "If I wasn't a good mum I don't know where I would be - my family have kept me going. I just tried to help him and it has not done me any favours. I have a big doorbell on the front of my house, one on the back and CCTV front and back."

She admits she has been living in fear as Halliday has been living in Oldham. She has a message for all women. "Stay away from him. They may see all the holidays abroad and the designer stuff - and will tell them they are gorgeous. But then he will abuse you as well.

"You may think you can change him, and you won't, you can't help him. I would say too, be wary of social media, it can be really dangerous. I say to myself I should have known, but I had never experienced anything like this before. You hear about someone living in Scotland meeting someone from London on a site and living happily ever after - what happened to me was other side of that."

She added: "I am still a mess. But I have started running and did a marathon in April, and joined a running club which is good for my mental health.

"I volunteered at the Ultra 100 miles in Snowdonia. But I will take it to the grave with me what he has done. I will never forgive him or ever forget."

Temporary Detective Constable Catherine Jagla of Greater Manchester Police said: “We would like to commend the immense bravery shown by the victim throughout this case. Her courage to give evidence and support a prosecution has enabled us to collate evidence that enabled justice to be served.

“With our support we remain committed and determined more than ever on tackling this type of abuse, which is a deliberate and calculated act to isolate, manipulate and terrorise a victim.

“We hope this sends a clear message to everyone, that we will listen to your concerns and provide the necessary specialised support when possible to ensure you no longer feel alone.”