Additional reporting by Paul Hooper

A beautician who was strangled and suffered facial scarring at the hands of her violent ex says she can finally “enjoy Christmas” now he’s behind bars.

Leonie Waldock told Maidstone Crown Court how Nuno Rodrigues carried out a campaign of violent abuse against her – including threatening to run her over and posting personal images of her online.

During the course of their relationship, the 28-year-old subjected Leonie to a series of attacks which have left the beauty worker physically scarred and suffering nightmares.

Rodrigues, of Playstool Road, Newington, near Sittingbourne, was jailed for three years after admitting charges of controlling and abusive behaviour and assault earlier this week.

Speaking after his sentencing, Leonie, 23, told KentOnline: “I had to leave my job at the time, I had to leave where I lived.

“We met in November 2021 and dated on and off before finally getting together in June 2022.

“It was that July that we moved in together and it all started. The abuse happened on a regular basis.

“He tried to kill me that December and would make posts on social media to control me and get me to do things.

“He even threatened to run me over and strangled me on multiple occasions.”

Following her ordeal Leonie was diagnosed with PTSD and depression.

She added: “On one occasion I took all the photos of us together off my Instagram.

“He told me to put them back up or he would post personal photos of me on his story.

“He posted them anyway, they were screenshots from a FaceTime call we’d had after I’d gotten out the shower, I didn’t know he’d screenshotted the call.”

Prosecutor Keira Vinall revealed how Rodrigues had also regularly assaulted his victim - even when they were on holiday.

Maidstone Crown Court heard on Monday how Leonie was subjected to a series of incidents including strangulation and needed a head gash glued following one attack while they were away in Madeira.

She told Judge Oliver Saxby KC: "I also have to regularly have botox in my forehead to try and fill a scar that he has given me. I have this done every three months to try and make the scar less visible.

"I can see on my face a physical reminder of what he has done to me."

Fighting back the tears she added that Rodrigues had prevented her from receiving hospital treatment and told her to claim she had fallen in the bath.

She added: “He beat me up every day, for a week, when we visited Madeira.

“He pinned me down and smashed my phone on my head and wouldn’t let me go to the hospital

“I flew home with nothing but a plaster covering the hole before going to Medway Hospital.

“I loved him at the time but I did try to leave him, but it was like I was forced to stay with him.

“He was a lot bigger than me as well, I was tiny at the time, only seven stone, I was very frail.”

Leonie shared that she’s now been on medication for a while and needs sleeping tablets and therapy to help her cope with the trauma.

She added: “Last Christmas the abuse was all so fresh and I couldn’t walk – my sister, who was 16 at the time, had to dress me.

“I kept thinking about what the new year would bring but this year I can enjoy Christmas with my family.

“I spoke out for the girls who can’t. I want to help the next person, I don’t want what happened to me to happen to others.

If you’re in a similar position to what I was in then speak out

“If you’re in a similar position to what I was in then speak out.

“Take pictures and videos of what’s happened so you can report it, you’re not alone.”

The judge told her that she had shown "great courage" in reading out her impact statement after being left "helpless and hopeless" after her ordeal.

He jailed Rodrigues after telling him he had "grave reservations" about accepting his apologies were genuine.

The judge also imposed an order he should stay away from his victim until further notice and confiscated the mobile phone which contained personal photographs and movies.

Leonie’s mum, Ali, said: “I’m so proud of her for speaking up, she was so brave.

“To any other woman suffering, speak up

“I want other women to be aware that they can report abuse and stand up to it.”

If you need support this Christmas search for Refuge, the largest domestic abuse organisation in the UK, or call their helpline on 0808 2000 247.