Woman says life will 'never be the same again' after ex-partner's campaign of domestic abuse

A man's campaign of domestic abuse left his ex-partner "scared to love, scared to laugh". Steven Halliday, 45, assaulted Shameem Younis over 13 months.

A judge at Mold Crown Court today condemned his behaviour, which took place between July 2021 and August 2022, and jailed him for 20 months. He said the offences had had a "long-term and serious impact" on his victim, but he has shown no remorse and denigrated her.

Prosecutor Laura Knightly told how the couple had been in a relationship from July 2021 which was "brilliant" for the first six months. But Halliday became controlling and coercive.

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She said he was jealous of male customers at Ms Younis' floristry business and called her names including "fat b****" and "scruffy c***". Ms Knightly described a series of assaults by Halliday, of Goats Shore, Oldham, in the following months.

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

However in June that year she resumed it, but 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.

In August 2022 the couple went to Wetherspoons in Rhyl. Afterwards, Halliday assaulted her and pulled her by her hair along Queen Street, with the victim saying "stop it! Get off me!", the court heard.

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 the glass, 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. Halliday was arrested, the court heard.

Shown photos of his partner's injuries he said he felt sick but did not feel capable of causing them. He called their relationship "perfect" although he also admitted his "behaviour could be a bit off".

Ms Younis, sitting in Mold Crown Court behind a screen, 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.

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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 because it makes me feel better."

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 endured 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."

Eve Salter, defending, said her client pleaded guilty to the offences so did not put his victim through a trial. He has "massively cut down his alcohol consumption" and would lose his rented accommodation if he is jailed.

She said Halliday, who works in electricity and gas mains infrastructure, has a new partner and is "happy". The judge, His Honour Simon Mills, called the victim statement "eloquent, moving and powerful".

He told the defendant he has an unhealthy relationship with alcohol and had shown no remorse apart from his guilty pleas. He added: "You do pose a risk of harm to known adults," and jailed him for 20 months for engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour in an intimate relationship.

He also imposed a ten-year restraining order prohibiting him from contacting his former partner.

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