'I thought I'd met the man of my dreams - but he left me looking like this'

A mum has told of her "living nightmare" living with a "narcissistic" partner who and left her terrified after their three-year relationship soured.

Sharon Annoscia, 53, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, said she was scared to leave Polish builder Lucasz Janiec, 41, over the threats he would make to her. She first got to know Janiec when he was working on the next door and at the time, Sharon was still reeling from the loss of her husband a year earlier. But the soon took a terrifying turn when 6ft 5in Janiec started to abuse her, culminating with a vicious assault.

A neighbour in May Bank had heard Sharon's cries at 1.10am on August 16, last year, and dialled 999. Police soon arrived at the scene and found Sharon in a distressed state and she had injuries to her mouth and cheek, reported

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Mum-of-three Sharon explained to officers that she was 'living in fear' of the defendant who went on to plead guilty to assault by beating and he was jailed for 17 weeks at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. Now, after his jailing, Sharon is trying to rebuild her life and has set up a fund-raising page.

Sharon shared on : "I'm a survivor of domestic abuse and narcissistic behaviour. Three years ago I thought I met the man of my dreams and I was happy that I had a life to look forward to.

"I was about to turn 50 years old, so you can imagine how I felt to actually find someone and yes I let my heart rule my head. I was financially secure and had everything you could possibly need whilst this man came with nothing but the shirt on his back.

"At the time it didn't bother me because he filled my head with 'I'm going to get a job, I will support and protect you, we will have an amazing future'. A year later he still had no job and our future was looking more like a pipe dream waiting to happen.

"He was drinking in excess when I was at work and I'd come home with him lying on the sofa and the breakfast dishes were still in the sink. He was a master of excuses and I should have kicked him out but the thought of losing him outweighed the not losing him."

Sharon revealed that she soon noticed items and money going missing and over three years, her £12,000 savings were reduced to nothing. She said: "I cut off his supply by hiding everything and that's when it all went south. I would get verbal abuse thrown at me. 'You're worthless and nobody will want you' was his favourite.

"At this point I didn't know what narcissistic abuse was. I'd heard the words but never did I think I was in that category. I was mentally drained and yes I became very afraid of him. I felt like I was trapped in a situation that I helped create. Everyday was like walking on eggshells. I was living my worst nightmare and I couldn't escape because now the threats came. 'If you leave me I will track you down, I will kill myself'. It was just madness in the worst possible form."

However, Sharon's ordeal soon worsened as the abuse turned physical. She added: "When he knew that he wasn't breaking me, that's when it got physical. Now he is a 6ft 5in guy and very strong, whereas I'm 5ft 6in and a weakling so I didn't stand a chance against him.

"I would wake up after he had knocked me out with his foot on my head and a cord around my neck. I had to take endless amounts of time off work because I was to embarrassed to reach out for help. This meant more time that I had to spend with him bowing down to his every need."

It was at this point she experienced the full force of his temper but Sharon also felt relief as once the police were involved, she would be free. She added: "I just wanted him gone so I knew I had to take a beating because I also knew my neighbour was in and it was now or never. It hurt like hell but the police were called and they took him away."

But now Sharon is scared as to what happens if her abuser isn't deported. She is hoping to rebuild her life away from North Staffordshire and has turned to the public for help.

She said: "He is due to be released in June and I need to get out of this house and away from the area so that he cannot find me and I have no financial support. Anything would be a blessing at this point in time. Nobody should have to go through what I have and I know there are lots of men and women still going through this nightmare that we mistakenly took as love."

For confidential support, call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit . If you or your family have lost a friend or family member through fatal domestic abuse, AAFDA (Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse) can offer specialist and expert support and advocacy. For more info visit.