A 31-year-old woman who was in a five-year relationship with a west Belfast man who pleaded guilty to murdering Joleen Corr has told how her life with him was "complete hell".
Mother-of-one Claire McCabe, who is originally from west Belfast, said she was once forced to take her young child and seek shelter with Women's Aid after Michael O'Connor attacked her.
O'Connor (34), who is originally from Westrock Grove, was due to go on trial for the murder of 27-year-old Joleen Corr but on Monday dramatically pleaded guilty on the same day the jury had been sworn in at Downpatrick court.
Ms Corr, who was a beauty therapist, had moved from west Belfast to Downpatrick to escape O'Connor after being subjected to a campaign of domestic violence by her then-partner.
However, on December 2, 2016, Ms Corr was found at her new home at Thomas Russell Park.
She had a number of horrendous injuries including a catastrophic brain injury from the attack which had taken place while Ms Corr's young son had been in the property.
After spending six months in a neurological ward in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, in May 2017, she was moved to a specialist brain injury clinic at Musgrave Park Hospital.
However, doctors told Joleen's family that the left side of her brain was dead and the stem damaged, meaning it was unlikely she would ever recover
In April 2018, a decision was taken to withdraw the treatment keeping Joleen alive and she was moved to the Northern Ireland Hospice where she died 10 days later in her mother's arms on April 26.
Following her death the charge against O'Connor was upgraded to murder.
Up until Monday, he had denied his involvement but pleaded guilty as preparations for the trial to begin got underway.
Among those at court on Monday supporting Joleen's mother, Carol and her family was a former west Belfast woman who had previously been in a relationship with O'Connor and who also suffered domestic violence at his hands.
Claire McCabe, who had a son with O'Connor in April 2009, said her five-year relationship with him was "complete hell".
Like Joleen, the young woman was also left with no option but to leave her home in west Belfast and flee the city in a bid to escape him.
Despite beginning a new life, Ms McCabe said she is left with "severe anxiety" and is always "looking over my shoulder" as a result of the experience.
"If he had been drinking or taking drugs, he would lash out," she said.
"If he didn’t like anything I had said and done it was an excuse to start an argument and if I answered him back, it would become physical".
The young mother recalled a number of incidents when she was attacked by O'Connor during their time together.
"We were at home and I had found out previous, a few weeks before, he had been cheating and it was brought up. He punched me in the face. He wrecked my house. I had to leave with the child then.
"He knew what to say to get you back. I was threatened (if) I didn't get back with him".
She also recalled another incident.
"We had been out for the night and because I wouldn't let him stay in my granny's house, he pushed his way through, punched in the face and my tooth punctured my lip.
"In May 2016, he assaulted me while my wee boy was present. He choked me and punched me and held me down on the bed. He wrecked my house again. He broke the child's scooter he had just got for his birthday"
In the aftermath of this attack, Ms McCabe said she left her home and initially went to family and later to a hostel because she had to give up her home.
She said despite reporting the attacks to police, she always dropped the charges because she feared the repercussions.
In the months that followed the May attack, the mother-of-one packed up her life in Belfast and moved elsewhere in a bid to start afresh.
When she found out what had happened Joleen Corr at the hands of her ex, the 31-year-old said she was "heartbroken".
"The thing that went through my head was that it could have been me," she said.
Ms McCabe said she is still affected by what happened.
"I don’t like leaving my house on my own," she said.
"I am constantly looking over my shoulder just in case someone finds out where I live. I have severe anxiety.
"It was horrible. Just constantly on edge what you could say, what kind of mood he was in. It was hell. Complete hell."
Ms McCabe said she is "relieved" O'Connor will remain in prison.
"I am happy but at the same time, there is still a downfall about it, because of the circumstances," she said.
"I feel relief that he won't be free to hurt anyone else."
Read more:
- Joleen Corr's mum: I believe he jumped all over her. She had 52 bruises from her head to her feet
- Mother of Joleen Corr (27) says she has finally 'got justice' after partner's murder plea
