Manchester woman Chloe Campbell claimed that it was love at first sight when she met her ex-partner. However, her romance with William "Billy" Walsh did not have a fairy tale ending. Campbell recalls how she was subjected to abuse by Walsh on multiple occasions, but was apologetic once out of his drunken haze. Campbell also shared how she finally managed to escape from Walsh by secretly reporting him to the police.

Campbell was 17 when she met the 28-year-old Walsh. Campbell had been dating Walsh's cousin, who had introduced the two. When Campbell's relationship with Walsh's cousin ended, the two started dating. Campbell's family and friends were not supportive of the relationship owing to the age gap between the lovers.

When she turned 18, Campbell took the call to move in with Walsh. Campbell claimed that she felt "happy" and "secure" with Walsh, but the feeling would soon fade as Walsh started being abusive after getting drunk.

Even before Walsh started his drunken abuse, he started distancing Campbell from her family and friends. He would delete her friends' contacts from her phone, stating that he was the only one she needed. He also discouraged her from talking to her family because he was paranoid that they were talking about him.

Domestic violence
Manchester woman faced drunken abuse from partner before she finally reported him to the police. Getty

Walsh started becoming abusive as he drank more and huffed gas. When Campbell tried to stop him from getting too drunk, he would abuse her. Eventually, Walsh introduced Campbell to a friend named Jack. Walsh became jealous and paranoid that Campbell was having an affair with Jack. On one occasion when Campbell met Jack in Walsh's absence, he strangled her until she fainted, and threatened to burn her alive when she came to.

Out of fear, Campbell removed the flint from all the lighters in the house. The move saved Campbell's life when Walsh did try to set her on fire. After getting drunk close to New Year's Eve, Walsh again claimed Campbell was having an affair.

Walsh dragged the helpless girl by her hair to the bedroom and tied her hands together. He bit down on her nose till it broke. He punched her in the face breaking, her cheekbone. He poured cider and lighter fluid on her, telling her that he would burn her alive. Since Campbell had removed the flint from the lighters, Walsh failed to kill Campbell. His failure enraged him more. Over the next six hours, he continued to beat and degrade Campbell until he passed out.

Later that day, the couple went to a friend's house. On the way back, Campbell put on her headphones while walking behind Walsh and called the police. Speaking to The Sun Campbell recalled how she covertly revealed her attire and her address to the police.

By the time they reached their home, the police had arrived. Walsh was arrested and in October 2018, he appeared at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court. For common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and controlling and coercive behaviour in an intimate relationship, Walsh was jailed for three years.