MUM WAS TRAPPED IN ‘CYCLE OF ABUSE’
“HE SEEMED brilliant, he was everything you would want, charming and caring.” Those were Rhiannon Morris’s first impressions of her new boyfriend Kane Haines
By the time she ended up in hospital with a perforated eardrum and whiplash following a savage assault, the terrible truth about her violent partner had become all too clear.
Between the two points in time the 28-year-old had been regularly beaten and attacked by Haines in an abusive relationship which left her with black eyes and bruising.
Haines was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment as a result of attacking Rhiannon, who is now trying to rebuild her life with her two daughters.
Rhiannon, from Cardiff, and Haines, 31, began their relationship in 2018 and she described him as “the perfect guy” in the beginning.
But as the couple became closer, Haines’ drinking would come to the fore and he would become violent and controlling.
When Rhiannon moved from Cardiff to Barry, where the defendant was from, matters became worse with Haines moving himself in and refusing to leave.
“I remember a friend repeatedly telling me he was going to end up killing me if I didn’t leave, I just brushed it off, but looking back I feel he was more than capable,” she said.
On August 31, 2019, Haines attacked Rhiannon at a barbecue where he headbutted her and bit her on the nose. Further attacks took place in November that year, the first of which resulted in Rhiannon being knocked unconscious in front of her daughters.
In the final attack, on November 6, 2019, Rhiannon was beaten so savagely she was taken to hospital to receive treatment for a perforated eardrum and whiplash, after Haines had hit her with such force. He then called her and threatened to kill her and burn down her home, she claimed.
She said: “In the end I had to leave our house, I went to the police and moved in with my mother.
“I went in to report the things he did and I was there for seven-and-ahalf hours and it was just going on and on. I just thought it was something I was doing. I am not that kind of person, if he could do it to me he could do it to anyone.“
Haines, of Borough Avenue, Barry, was arrested and later pleaded guilty to two counts of assault occasioning ABH, assault by beating and sending a communication making a threatening message.
On December 4, 2020, he was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court to 27 months’ imprisonment.
Rhiannon is now trying to rebuild her life and to provide a safe environment for her two children to thrive.
She said: “All I wanted from day one was for [Haines] to plead guilty and to admit what he did was so wrong. I didn’t do this for me, I did it for my children and other women. It doesn’t change anything, he pleaded guilty because he wanted a shorter sentence, not because he was wrong.
“I have got this year to build my life back up, back to where it was before I met him and we can get on with our lives. It was just a constant year of waiting. The only relief I have got is he’s not around until he comes out.”
■ If you or someone you know is affected by domestic abuse visit the Live Fear Free website or call the helpline on 0808 80 10 800.