My crooked boyfriend hit me so hard that I lost consciousness – then he strangled and hit my beautiful dog to death – The Sun

When Sarah Griffiths, 30, shy, met Liam Stezaker on Match.com, she thought she had found the man of her dreams.

But the beautiful and articulate 27-year-old girl slowly began isolating Sarah from her friends and family, becoming violent and hitting her so hard that she lost consciousness.

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During a terrifying onslaught, Stezaker strangled and slammed his beloved terrier, Tilly, to death, before unceremoniously sticking the dog's lifeless body to the trash.

When Stezaker ended their two-year relationship, Sarah finally saw for the monster that he was and went to the police – and Stezaker was jailed for 12 months.

Here, speaking exclusively to Fabulous Digital, Ludlow's Sarah tells her story …

Before joining Match.com in May 2016, my two dogs were my world. I had two kind terrier crosses – Tilly, six, and his father, Taz, 12 years old.

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But I decided that it was time to start dating again and I thought I had hit the jackpot when I met Liam.

We both loved heavy metal music and his Facebook feed was filled with great pictures of dogs. I knew then that he would love Taz and Tilly.

He was confident, everything that I was not, and I was hit.

I was happy to follow him, bathing in the heat of his popularity.

But when he moved in with me, I saw another side of my boyfriend.

I ran into the garden to find Tilly's lifeless body in the trash

Sarah Griffiths

At the pizzeria where we both worked, it was his usual charming charm.

But behind closed doors, he was irritable and angry, throwing me constant blows.

He prevented me from seeing my friends, told me to grow a spine and called me a wet blanket if I cried.

His insults began to demolish me and I believed him when he told me that I was crazy.

Even when he became violent, I accepted his apology and I forgave him.

I was not strong enough to ask him to leave.

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Liam did not have much patience with my dogs, especially the youngest, Tilly.

When she barked – and Tilly loved to bark – he yelled at her to shut up.

I did my best to keep Tilly calm, but it was not enough.

Liam banished her from the house and forced her to live in the back garden.

One night in September 2017, Liam invited friends for a beer.

When they left, Tilly started barking on the outside.

Liam had strangled Tilly then hit her to death

Sarah Griffiths

Liam broke into the garden and I heard him hit Tilly. Then I heard a heartbreaking scream.

I was frozen by fear, wondering what Liam had done.

Then he went back to the kitchen and said calmly that Tilly was dead.

I ran into the garden to find Tilly's lifeless body in the trash.

Liam had strangled Tilly and then hit her to death.

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I begged him to bury Tilly. He dug a hole in the garden as I sobbed hysterically.

He allowed me to sit at the edge of his grave for five minutes before sending me to the inside.

In accordance with Liam's instructions, I told everyone that Tilly had been sick and we had him dropped.

It's hard to explain why I accepted the lie. I thought I needed Liam and I would not be anything without him.

We moved to Hereford, 25 km from home, a few months later. I cried on Tilly's grave before leaving her forever.

Our new owner did not accept pets and so I was forced to relocate Taz too. I missed him terribly but at least I knew that he was safe.

When I arrived, I was lying in a pool of blood, a gaping wound on my head above my ear

Sarah Griffiths

Living in a new city, I was completely isolated. I felt so alone.

Liam mistreated me badly, but he was the most popular of friends and I was his crazy girlfriend.

One night we headed to Bristol for a concert. Excited to be in town, I let myself go to the pit.

But seeing me having fun, Liam rushed outside. Predictably, I followed him.

Back in the hotel room, he hit me so hard that I lost consciousness.

When I arrived, I was lying in a pool of blood, a gaping wound on my head above my ear.

Liam muffled me in the car and drove the 100 kilometers up to Hereford.

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Back home, he quickly realized he had no choice but to take me to the Hereford County Hospital.

He told the staff that I came across the concert. Once again I went with the lie. I would have really bottomed out.

When my father died in May 2018, I fell to pieces. Liam did not support me and, a month later, he ended our relationship.

I moved into a shared house and tried to put my life back on track. But I had lost my dogs, my family and my friends. I felt completely broken.

Over the weeks, I realized that I had to hold Liam responsible for everything he had done. Not only for me but also for Tilly.

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So I went to the police and told them everything.

In March 2019, Liam Stezaker pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal, badault causing bodily harm, and coercive and controlling behavior at the Worcester Crown Court.

He was imprisoned for 12 months.

I did not think it was long enough for what he had done to Tilly, but at least he was punished.

I should have left Liam after he first hit me, he has dominated and controlled me from the beginning, but I see now that he was gas lighting me.

What he did to me and Tilly, a helpless animal, was unforgivable.

Nothing will bring her back. Every day I miss my two dogs, but my life is gone.

I just hope that Liam will never hurt another woman or another animal when he gets out of jail.

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