Domestic abuse survivor 'tortured' by ex 'terrified' he could be released from prison early under new scheme

Domestic abuse survivor 'tortured' by ex 'terrified' he could be released from prison early under new scheme Helen Duncanson, 41, revealed her absuive boyfriend carried out a campaign of violence against her over a period of two years that included strangling her to the point she lost conciousness A domestic abuse survivor who suffered "mental torture" at the hands of her partner is terrified he could be released early under government plans. Helen Duncanson, 41, said victims were an "afterthought" after receiving notice Michael Boyes, who is serving three and a half years, was eligible for the scheme. Boyes, of Pickering in Yorkshire, abused Ms Duncanson over two years and at one point strangled her to the point where she lost consciousness and wet herself. Ms Duncanson has started to rebuild her life following monster Boyes' conviction but has been left horrified over the prospect of him being released. He is due to be released from jail in September next year, though Ms Duncan fears it could be sooner. The ambulance practitioner said: "I understand the prison system faces serious pressures and that there are legitimate reasons to consider early release. However, victims of domestic abuse should not become an afterthought in that process. "If an offender is released early, victims need clear information about when that will happen, what conditions will apply, what restrictions will be placed on the offender, and what support and protection will be available to the victim. They should not be left feeling that the system has prioritised an offender's early release over their safety and wellbeing. I am terrified." The Ministry of Justice said it is working to fix a prison system it inherited "on the brink of collapse" and shares "the public's anger that these options are even being considered." But Ms Duncanson, who is training to become a paramedic, said Boyes was a danger to society. She was in a relationship with Boyes between June 2021 and 2023 and said the relationship had begun normally. But, she said Boyes started to "pick" on her and it soon escalated into physical abuse including beatings and strangulation. Ms Duncanson, from North Yorkshire, said: "One night someone had bought me some earrings for my birthday and he said 'Oh god they're awful.' He picked away at me like that - my appearance, where I was going, who I was with, and my bank accounts. He left me in huge financial debt because it was well into the relationship that I realised he was taking drugs. "I had to give him money otherwise I'd be attacked. Before my mum died, she'd bought me some beautiful Alice in Wonderland china. It was a present for my first house my mum would never see. He stood one day and he just chucked a pasta bowl at the wall and my heart just broke. He said: 'give me some money or I'll chuck it'. I was devastated. Later on that night, he cried and apologised. Once you're in deep, you can't get out." Ms Duncanson said Boyes would beat her and she was sometimes too scared to go home - sleeping in her car in the woods. She explained: "I thought he'd kill me. He used to strangle me with his hands, arm or the necklace my mother had brought me. Once, as I started to lose consciousness I thought: 'Thank god.' All I wanted was peace." Ms Duncanson said when she came round, she had wet herself. She found the strength to later end the relationship and reported Boyes to the police after finding out he had a new girlfriend. Boyes sat in the dock at York Crown Court flanked by two dock officers on January 13, the same day he turned 40. Prosecutor Michael Cahill said Boyes had more than 20 previous convictions including for domestic violence. He pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour three weeks before his trial was due to begin. He was also charged with four counts of theft which he was not sentenced for but that will remain on the indictment. Judge Hickey said Boyes subjected Ms Duncanson to "mental torture" and jailed Boyes for three and a half years with a ten-year restraining order. Ms Duncanson said Boyes being jailed allowed her to feel safe, adding: “A prison sentence is not simply a number on a piece of paper to a victim. It can represent a period of safety. It can provide time to recover, to make arrangements, and to start building a life without constantly worrying about the person who harmed you.” She questioned whether domestic abuse survivors “are being given sufficient consideration and protection when decisions about early release are made”. Ms Duncanson said she does not believe the “feelings of the victims have been taken into account for a second” under the proposals. She added: “How can a person even begin to know now what it feels like to be truly terrified of another person and to feel completely vulnerable? I am rebuilding my life and just feel as though it is all a constant battle. A battle to protect my mental health, but also a battle to fight for what’s right.” Ms Duncanson said she decided to speak out “because I do not want other victims to experience the same fear and uncertainty that I am experiencing now”. She added: "People who have suffered domestic abuse have already had their sense of safety taken away from them. The justice system should be helping to restore that sense of safety - not leaving victims wondering whether the person who abused them will soon be back in their community. "I hope those responsible for implementing the early release scheme will listen to victims and recognise that behind every sentence is a human being whose life may have been profoundly affected by the offence. Victims deserve to be heard. They deserve to be informed. Most importantly, they deserve to feel safe." Ms Duncanson has been praised by Queen Camilla for speaking out about her case. The Queen wrote to her saying: "I am full of admiration for the strength that you have shown as you have overcome the terrible experiences that you have endured." A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “We have always stated we wanted to go further, and we are fast-tracking a plan to keep more of the most dangerous offenders behind bars. That’s on top of murderers and those serving sentences for rape, serious child sexual abuse and grooming offences who are already blocked from any changes. “We share the public’s anger that these options are even being considered, after we inherited a prison system on the brink of collapse. We are fixing this by building 14,000 new prison places, expanding electronic tagging on an unprecedented scale, and investing in probation services at record levels. We are also exploring how we can go further, including faster deportation of foreign criminals and reviewing the unjust IPP sentences.” For confidential support, call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit womensaid.co.uk. 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 www.aafda.org.uk.