Mum ‘living in fear’ after neighbour’s bat attack
A MUM who suffered a broken arm when a raging neighbour hit her with a baseball bat in a row over a lover said she now lives in fear and struggles to sleep following the “terrifying” attack.
Victim Dominique Thomas, 28, has told of her horror after she was targeted by neighbour Jessica Verallo, 29, in the attack caught on a doorbell camera.
The mum had been enjoying family time in the garden with daughter Ruby, four, when she heard her neighbour hurling abuse.
Raging Verallo called little Ruby an “ugly ginger **** ” after Dominique had warned her to stay clear of her man.
And just moments later Dominique watched in terror as Verallo came storming towards her with a baseball bat and broke her arm.
Recalling the events of June 2020, Dominque, of St Fagans, Cardiff, said: “She had something in her hand that she was swinging back and forth.
“I realised it was a metal baseball bat and the look of evil on her face as she stormed towards me was terrifying.”
The brutal attack was launched in front of horrified children in the street as Dominique pleaded: “Stop it, please. There are kids here.”
It was caught on a neighbour’s doorbell camera which was later seized by police.
Dominque said: “All I could do was watch helplessly as she began swinging the baseball bat at me.
“I stumbled backwards and fell into a bush. As Jessica came at me with a full swing of the bat I managed to raise my arm to stop her hitting my head.
“I felt a bone snap in my arm. It was agony. Then bright red blood oozed out and spurted everywhere.
“I was taken to hospital and had to undergo three hours of surgery. The doctors had to put six screws and a metal plate in my arm.”
Dominique said in the days leading up to the attack she had learned Verallo had made a pass at her partner.
She said: “Obviously, I hadn’t been happy at all but I didn’t want some big scene. I’d texted Jessica a message and politely asked her to stay away from him.”
Dominique said Verallo denied this – but days later started “screaming” at her.
Verallo was arrested following the attack and later found guilty of GBH with intent, and possessing an offensive weapon after a four-day trial.
The court heard the “sickening blow echoed around” their housing complex.
Verallo was jailed for five years and given a 10-year restraining order at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court in June.
Prosecutor Roger Griffiths said the doorbell video was recovered by police to arrest “ticking timebomb” Verallo.
Dominique says she now lives in fear and struggles to sleep following the horrific attack.
She said: “I am still living in the flat where the attack happened but I am hoping to move. I really don’t want to live here anymore.
“I still have dreams and horrible flashbacks of that day. I don’t think until the day I die I can forget it.
“I am glad I’ve had some justice and Jessica Verallo is in jail and can’t hurt anyone else.”