A MUM-OF-TWO recalled the terror after her abusive ex-partner squeezed her fresh C-section wound and told her “get to the gym”.
Anneliese Smith, from Southampton, bravely spoke out about her horrifying ordeal as a new mother – and revealed clear red flags from the start of her relationship.
A court heard how scumbag Jake Worster, 31, pinned her down on the bed, restraining her with his legs.
He squeezed her caesarean scar just three weeks after giving birth to their son.
The disgusting abuser then pulled Anneliese to the floor by her ankles and hit her across the face before taking the baby and kicking down their bedroom door.
Southampton Crown Court heard the disgusting violence was inflicted after pub landlady Anneliese pointed out Worster’s shoes were muddy.
Mum-of-two Anneliese, said: “It has knocked my confidence. I’m in a role where I have to be confident and I have to be able to stand my ground to bad behaviour.
“It was just horrendous. He had no empathy and no compassion. It gave me anxiety and depression and now I don’t want to leave my flat.”
Vile Worster had previously been convicted of abusing Anneliese in 2020 after he choked, punched and kicked her, as well as damaged property.
He was handed a suspended sentence.
The pair had only met a year prior when the defendant began drinking at Anneliese’s pub in Southampton.
After they discovered Anneliese was pregnant in May 2023 and the abuse only escalated.
Thug Worster’s reign of terror continued right up until she gave birth on November 8 last year.
The court heard he would manipulate Anneliese financially, demanding cash for food but spending it on drugs and alcohol.
He told her to kill herself while carrying their unborn child and degraded her with verbal abuse.
The callous defendant called her “worthless”, “overweight” and “fat” after she gave birth, telling her to “get to the gym”.
He would inflict emotional abuse, threatening to hit her while he was driving after she told him the road was dangerous.
Anneliese continued: “If I tried to leave him, he would get so angry. I would defend myself but he would get worse and then you get to the point where you don’t defend yourself.
“It was only when I was pregnant that I realised I am not part of the problem.
“When you’re pregnant you can’t get into any altercation because you need to protect the baby so that is when I realised I am not defending myself and it is still happening.”
Evil Worster was arrested on December 1, three days after he squeezed her C-section scar when friend of Anneliese reported it to the police.
However, he continued to contact her, ignoring his bail conditions, the court heard.
The defendant admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm, criminal damage, two counts of assault by beating and two counts of common assault.
By Dame Julie Walters
SHOCKING figures published by charity Women’s Aid reveal that over half of abuse sufferers referred to a refuge find themselves turned away.
Campaigners fear the issue of domestic abuse and funding of shelters is being overlooked as an election issue.
Frightening statistics from Women’s Aid, where I am a proud Patron, show that over 60 per cent of referrals into refuge are rejected, with the most common reason being a lack of space and capacity in services (over 24 per cent) – domestic abuse urgently needs to be a priority for every political party.
Despite many years of campaigning, including important campaigning by The Sun with Women’s Aid to keep refuge doors open, there is so much more to do.
With at least one woman being killed every week in England and Wales by a current or former partner, if domestic abuse is left out of political manifestos, things could only get worse.
With one in four women experiencing domestic abuse at some point in their lifetime, as well as male victims and the many children growing up in homes where there is domestic abuse, it is an issue that affects people in every town and city across the country.
Domestic abuse is an issue for every government department, and any future government needs to be planning for how they are going to work to end it, listening to both survivors’ voices and the domestic abuse experts around the country who have worked to save lives for decades.
At Women’s Aid we know first-hand that the greatest heroes are ones you never know about unless you need them, and having a safe place to go to where people understand what you are going through and help you rebuild your life are the reasons why many survivors are able to escape a life lived in fear.
We have seen in recent years some important progress, with the Domestic Abuse Act in 2021 bringing in a number of improvements that have built on the recognition of coercive control as a criminal offence in 2015.
Economic abuse is recognised as domestic abuse, children are recognised as victims in their own right, and a new offence for strangulation that doesn’t end in death.
But there is such a long way to go.
We know that many women trying to get the help that could save their lives are being turned away, whether it is because there is not the refuge space there for them or because migrant women still do not have the right to access lifesaving services if they are being abused.
We know that survivors of domestic abuse are scared that their abusers might be let out of prison early because of the early release scheme.
Domestic abuse doesn’t end when the relationship ends – women who have left abusers still live in fear.
We need to deliver the lifesaving services women need now, and need to build a world where domestic abuse does not exist in the future, by investing in prevention and challenging misogyny and sexism in schools and workplaces alike – we need to get to the root cause and drive out abusive behaviour.
We need to invest now to save both money and lives further down the line, with domestic abuse costing society nearly £78 billion a year.
As well as asking the public for support, we are asking for support from those with the most power, those who are campaigning right now to form our future government.
I say to them, if you care about domestic abuse, if you care about survivors, and you care about reducing violence against women in the future – tell Women’s Aid member organisations around the country that they have your support to keep lifesaving refuge and domestic abuse service doors open.
Because without your full and continuous support, more women and children will be turned away from the services that could save their lives.
At his sentencing, Judge Robert Hill, Assistant Judge Advocate General, branded him an “out and out bully who gets violent”.
Representing himself, cruel Worster said he is living in London and is sober thanks to a “lifetime” job with Network Rail which means he regularly gets tested.
He said: “I am not here to make any excuses. We was in a toxic relationship.
“I know I have done bad. From this past year I have made a 360 turnaround.
“Just give me one chance to show you that I have changed. I don’t want to go to prison today and take 100 steps back.”
He was given another suspended sentence, 15-months, suspended for two years, and slapped with a six-month restraining order.
After hearing the sentencing, Anneliese said: “I am just a bit disappointed that it is another suspended sentence. I thought where he had been convicted before it would be maybe a bit worse for him.”
She added: “I am just exhausted from it. I have lost my social life completely.
“Hopefully the six-month restraining order gives him to learn how to treat people better.”
Anneliese said she hoped Worster would able to be a co-parent in their son’s life in the future.
She continued: “So many people are scared and the process is long, but speaking to these professionals, it really does give you the clarity that you are not wrong.
“Even if you don’t get the result you want in court, you can still get better mental health and a better outlook on things.”
Worster must complete five rehabilitation days, 30 sessions on an accredited programme and pay £100 compensation for the damage to the door.
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
