A WOMAN has spoken of her terror when her partner “switched” during an argument and attacked her in a hotel room.

The 23-year-old, who wished to remain anonymous, says she was left with a number of injuries and needed x-rays, but has since lost friends as they believed his “story” that he accidentally pushed her and she “fell into a bathtub”.

“It’s probably the case in a lot of domestic abuse cases, where the victim isn’t fully believed, especially when people like [him] have this ‘nice guy’ persona,” she continued.

Last Monday, August 12, the victim’s ex, from Worcester and also 23, was convicted of assault by beating following the incident in July but an application for a five-year restraining order against him was thrown out by the court.

The victim has been left feeling vulnerable and sleeping in her parents’ spare room in Droitwich due to fear of being alone, calling the failure to impose a restraining order “madness”.

“I don’t understand why they didn’t do it. Chances are we are going to run into each other.”

She said the prosecutor told her a restraining order “is quite a big thing to have on your record” and is only used when completely necessary, after magistrates opted against one.

“If not for this, then when would it be suitable?” she said.

She said the pair had gone to Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, for GlastonBARRY music festival on July 27 and had begun to argue in a taxi on the way to their hotel in the early hours of the following day.

They had met up with a friend of the victim and the friend’s family for the day, but they were staying in a different hotel.

Once in their room, both having been earlier drinking heavily, the couple’s fight escalated, she said, and after she realised he had been reading her texts and private Facebook messages, she said she wanted to split up.

The police were called, and her ex was arrested, while the victim’s parents came to collect her.

“If you met him, he is the nicest man, there aren’t always obvious warning signs,” said the victim, who is challenging the restraining order in civil court.

Asked how she is coping since the incident, she said: “It’s fine when people are around but when I’m alone I have flashbacks."

The former couple had been together for around nine months having met through friends a few months before. They have not been in contact since the incident in Barry.

The victim’s friends and family have suggested she seek support from domestic abuse charity Women’s Aid.

• Matthew Wickens, 23, accepted a charge of assault by beating at Cardiff Magistrates Court on August 12, in relation to a domestic violence incident, a CPS spokesman said. He was given a 12-month community order which includes 70 hours of unpaid work and he must pay £375 compensation to the victim.