Woman thought she would die as jealous ex attacked her with a wrench

  • 'I thought I was going to die' - Ellie tells her story

A woman from Cornwall who was repeatedly beaten with a wrench by her jealous former partner says she has forgiven him after he was jailed for eight years.

Gary Light hit his former partner Ellie Barnes multiple times after forcing his way into her Wadebridge home.

The couple had recently separated after a 10-year relationship, which Ellie described as controlling.

She said: ‘’In a sick way I believe he did it out of the fact that he did love me, but he didn’t own me, and that was the thing that he didn’t understand.

"When I took back ownership of my life he couldn’t handle it."

Ellie suffered extensive head, arm and leg injuries in the attack in September 2020. 

Ellie said she thought she was going to die during the attack.

She said: "I just remember seeing the glint of a long metal pole with a big round end on it and I wasn’t really sure what it was but then terror struck in.

"And all of a sudden he just had an evil look on his face something I’d never ever seen in him before and that wasn’t the man I knew.

"He was relentlessly hitting me and I just remember the blows striking down on me, and I was trying to hide my face because I knew he was trying to disfigure my face.

"I really thought lying on that kitchen floor I was going to die."

Gary Light has been jailed for the attack. Credit: Devon and Cornwall Police.

Gary Light, 42, from Port Isaac was sentenced to eight years in prison at Truro Crown Court on Friday 16 April for grievous bodily harm with intent.

During the sentencing, Judge Robert Linford said Light "completely lost it" and inflicted a "dreadful" attack on his former partner.

Ellie has decided to forgive him, she said: ''It’s my choice whether I carry it around with me and feel sorry for myself, and live in misery. Or, I forgive and I move on with my life. That’s what I’ve decided to do, and that’s an empowering thing for me."

Ellie Barnes says she has chosen to forgive her ex so she can move on with her life.

Ellie says she is now speaking out about her ordeal to encourage other sufferers of domestic abuse to get help.

"Be brave, take control of your life. You deserve so much more than to be controlled, to be hurt, to live in fear, to live in silence and to try and cover the bruises.

"You might love this person, but you need to love yourself more."

Domestic violence support

If you are in immediate danger, call 999.

Call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse helpline on 0808 2000 247 for confidential, non-judgemental information and support.

Women's Aid - for information and support, email helpline@womensaid.org.uk or contact a local domestic abuse service by using the Domestic Abuse Directory.