'We were best friends for 17 years before we got together - I thought it meant he wouldn't hurt me'

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A mum-of-five has told how her abusive ex-boyfriend threatened to cut off her ears, spat at her on a night out and told her on Christmas Day to kill herself.

Leanne Hoare, 33, bravely spoke out to describe her ordeal after Michael Duncan, 38, was jailed for six months. Duncan was also given a five-year restraining order after a court heard he secretly followed her to a supermarket, convinced she was having affairs, and spat in her face when she dared to have a night out with friends without him.

On Christmas Eve, he called her 200 times and on Christmas Day, he left a voice note telling her to kill herself, leaving her in floods of tears.

Leanne said she had been friends with Duncan for 17 years before they got together. She told how she felt 'reassured' by their long-standing friendship and thought she could trust him, but went on to find out after his arrest that he had previous convictions relating to domestic abuse. "I could not have been more mistaken," she said. READ MORE: 'I had to vomit in train station from McDonald's milkshake - then it all happened so quickly and my brother was dead' Leanne, who started a relationship with Duncan in January 2022, said: "I knew Michael well so I felt safe with him.