The victim of a cocaine-fuelled Hilton Hotel rampage by her ex-boyfriend says she still fears for her life.
Leah Walters was viciously attacked by Ronnie Gaunt, 38, from Halewood, during what was supposed to be a romantic weekend away to celebrate her birthday.
Since the vicious assault, that saw Miss Walters lose consciousness and have to receive hospital treatments, she has said that she is in fear for her life and worries that he will come back to get her.
The 25-year-old, who has two children with Gaunt, said: "I feel sick with what has happened and the worst thing is my children have to look at what he has done to me.
''I can’t believe he’s even done this to me, I couldn’t believe he could ever hurt me in this way. I thought he loved me.
"I am scared he might do something worse to me or do something in front of the children next time, or I might end up dead.
"I am scared to go back to Liverpool in case he comes round to my house and tried to harm myself or my children, he knows where I live and he knows my routine, I feel unsafe.
"'I have two small children and I am scared my anxiety will rub off in them. I haven’t been on a night out since and I don’t drink anymore.
"I am scared of bumping into his friends.
"He terrified me and I’m petrified of seeing him again. Even writing this statement makes me anxious and is causing me great distress.”
Manchester Crown Court heard that Gaunt booked Miss Walters into a luxury Hilton hotel in Manchester, bought her birthday presents and then took her for a meal at a swanky restaurant on the weekend of March 22.
But after snorting cocaine during their night out, the plumber kicked off at guests in the five star hotel before attacking 25-year-old mum, Leah, in their room.
He claimed fellow guests were discriminating against him ''because he was white" and when Miss Walters said she was leaving because of his behaviour, Gaunt grabbed her around the throat with both hands shouting: “you’re not going, you slag” then chased her down the corridor as she tried to flee.
He grabbed her by the hair pulling clumps out of her scalp then began kicking her and punching her in the face and head in a beating lasting up to 15 minutes.
One guest tried to intervene but Gaunt told him to “f**k off”.
He eventually fled in a lift and was arrested outside the hotel after he was followed by security staff.
Police found blood spattered over the walls of the corridor and in the lift and an empty snap-bag containing cocaine belonging to Gaunt was found in the couple's hotel room.
Leah said that she has been left physically and mentally scarred by the attack and worries that her children will notice the injuries to her face.
She said: "I don’t want him to come near me or my children ever again. What has happened has scarred me mentally and physically and I have been left with bald patches in my hair.
"I have had to have corrective surgery to correct my nose.
"My children aged two and five months see my face and and it worries me that my children will pick up on it.
''It makes me feel upset to see they might know this.
"I can’t believe he can do this to me and I hope nobody has to go through what I have to end up hurt and broke. I can’t even look in a mirror.
''I broke down looking at the pictures of my face and don’t ever want to see it again. I am scared for my life."
At Manchester Crown Court, Gaunt admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm and was jailed for 42 months on Wednesday.
Gaunt was also banned from contacting Miss Walters indefinitely under the terms of a restraining order.
The court heard the couple who had been dating for several years had split in 2018 but on March 22 this year Gaunt took her for a weekend away to celebrate her birthday.
Sentencing Gaunt, Judge Patrick Field QC said: ''This was an appalling, brutal, drink and drug-fuelled assault on your former partner and we have heard of painful injuries caused her and which left her in fear and distress.
" I have no doubt that when she was cowering on the floor of that hotel room she experienced terror and humiliation.
"'I just hope you do experience shame for what you have done. ''
