Who is Angel Lynn and what are her injuries after Leicestershire kidnapping?

Angel Lynn was just 19 years old when she suffered life-changing injuries at the hands of her controlling ex-boyfriend.

She was left paralysed and unable to eat unaided, walk or talk after falling out of a van on the A6 in Leicestershire when she was kidnapped by Chay Bowskill on September 17, 2020. 

Angel's mother, Nikki Lynn, said last year that her family's life has been changed forever.

"Our whole life has changed for the whole family, it's changed dramatically," she told ITV News Central.

When was Angel Lynn kidnapped?

Angel, now 22, was bundled into the back of a van she later fell out of onto the A6 Loughborough Road near Mountsorrel, Leicestershire, on 17 September 2020. 

Her "controlling" boyfriend, Chay Bowskill, and his friend, Rocco Sansome, both 20, were convicted by a jury of kidnapping her.

Bowskill, from Syston, was cleared of "intentionally causing her grievous bodily harm", after it became unclear precisely how she left the vehicle.

He was also convicted of controlling and coercive behaviour towards Angel during their year-long relationship and perverting the course of justice, by seeking to persuade his mother to withdraw her police statement.

CCTV footage shows Bowskill running after her, grabbing her in a bear hug and carrying her back to the transit van that was then driven away by Sansome - shortly before she ended up injured on the A6 near Mountsorrel at 10.45am.

What are Angel Lynn's injuries?

Angel’s injuries were so severe that doctors feared she would not survive.

She was left unable to communicate, walk, or feed herself and needs 24-hour care.

Angel was treated at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham, where she was provided with communication equipment fitted to her wheelchair.

When she was first discharged from hospital she was still being fed through a tube in her stomach.

How is Angel doing now?

Her mother told The Sun newspaper she has recently been able to stand and is communicating more.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast on Tuesday 9 May, Mrs Lynn said: "She’s doing really good actually with the moving. The physios what she’s got are amazing, they are really good.

"She gets a bit moody sometimes when she’s being bent around but yeah, it’s doing her the world of good."

Her father Patrick, speaking ahead of a Channel 4 documentary about Angel's case to be broadcast on Tuesday, confirmed that she is even beginning to take some steps and has had an operation to straighten her left foot.

How was Angel Lynn kidnapped?

The kidnap happened after Angel, who was originally lawfully driving the van, had collected Bowskill and Sansome.

At some stage she was arguing with Bowskill and got out and walked off along the road, near Hilltop Garage, in Rothley.

Moments before she left the vehicle, Bowskill accepted telling her he "hated" her and never wanted to see her again.

He told the court they were driving her home to Loughborough when she fell onto the road, via the van's rear sliding side door, as he sat in the front passenger seat.

During the trial, he told the jury she jumped and caused her own injuries, which left him hysterical and distressed.

Where is Chay Bowskill?

Bowskill was jailed for seven and a half years after being convicted of kidnap, coercive and controlling behaviour and perverting the course of justice.

The kidnapper has had his sentence increased by the Court of Appeal judges.

As part of the sentencing review, the jail term handed to Bowskill for kidnapping Angel has gone up to 12 years, which he will continue to serve at a Young Offenders' Institution.

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