STABBED BY MY CRAZED EX

Zoe Dronfield, 47, thought she had found her 'saviour', then their relationship took a terrifying turn

- RACHEL TOMPKINS, ANN CUSACK

It was the middle of the day and I was working from home as an IT business developer when my phone pinged.

‘Look out your window!’ the message said. Running to the window I saw Jason Smith, then 30, sitting in a flash car, looking at me with a huge grin.

It was November 2012 and I had only been on a first date with Jason the day before after we’d got chatting on Facebook when I’d commented on the Porsche he was selling. We had bonded over being single parents and the fact he worked in car sales, something I used to do.

At 6ft tall and 15st, he was strong, muscly and handsome. And now, a day after our date, he was outside the house, surprising me with a visit. I thought he was sweet and after that Jason and I started dating.

After a couple of months my dad was taken into hospital, seriously ill. My mum had died when I was six and so Dad had always helped with my kids. As I juggled hospital visits with school runs and work, Jason was amazing. ‘I can help take the kids to school,’ he offered.

Nothing was too much trouble for him and he was always there at the end of the day to cuddle me and to tell me how fantastic I was. Friends even referred to him as my ‘saviour’ and I really did feel so lucky to have met him.

But by the end of 2013 Jason had lost his job and was drinking heavily. His behaviour and mood suddenly began to change. If I wanted to go out with my friends he made me feel guilty and always wanted to know where I was.

In between Christmas and New Year he wanted to use my dad’s car but we got into an argument. ‘I need to ask my dad’s permission first,’ I explained, hiding the keys in my bedroom. Dad was still in hospital and I didn’t want Jason using his things while he was gone. It just didn’t feel right. But Jason was furious and as he pushed past me to get the keys I fell and cracked my ribs on the side of the dressing table.

BID TO BREAK FREE