WHEN terrified Maddie Benson was confronted by a masked intruder in her living room she screamed for her life, believing she was being burgled.
It was only when the man shouted her name that she realised, in horror, that she knew his voice.
Maddie Benson thought monster ex Liam Brannan was a true gentlemen when they first metSupplied Brannan, 30, was jailed for six years at Winchester Crown Court in April 2025 after admitting three strangulations and three assaultsFocus FeaturesIt was her ex-partner Liam Brannan.
Chillingly, this did nothing to allay her fears, as Brannan threw her to the ground and tried to strangle her.
Brannan, 30, was jailed for six years at Winchester Crown Court in April 2025 after admitting three strangulations and three assaults.
Mum-of-two Maddie, 23, from Aldershot, Hampshire, told Fabulous: “Liam was lovely when we first met. He offered me the dream but then he became a monster.
‘Gentleman’ to monster
“He broke into my home and tried to strangle me. He also strangled me after I miscarried twins and I found evidence he was cheating on me.
“It took so much strength to leave, but I think he’d have killed me if I stayed.
“I hope other women will learn from my story. Please leave before it’s too late.”
Maddie met Brannan on a night out in February 2023.
She says: “We had mutual friends in common. He was smiley, funny and really outgoing. We shared a kiss and went our separate ways.
“But the day after, he called me and we arranged to meet.”
Over the next couple of months, the couple grew close.
Maddie says: “I had a son from a previous relationship and Liam was great with him.
“We moved in together. Liam had a good job as a plasterer and seemed like a real family man.
Checked Clare’s Law
“I’d grown up without a family, so it was really important to me to have that stability. Liam referred to me as his wife, which made me feel our relationship was serious.
“I thought he was going to look after me and be the kind of dad and husband I’d always dreamed of.
“He confided he’d been in fights years earlier but that he had changed. I appreciated his honesty, and I wanted to give him a chance.
“I did a check on Clare’s Law, and there were no concerns.
WHAT IS CLARE LAW?
Also known as Domestic Violence Closure Scheme, Clare's Law is intended to provide information that could protect someone from being a victim of attack.
The scheme allows the police to disclose information on request about a partner’s previous history of domestic violence or violent acts.
It was brought in across England and Wales in 2014.
The scheme was introduced after 36-year-old Clare Woods was murdered by her boyfriend in 2009.
Mum-of-one Ms Wood was strangled and set on fire at her home in Salford, Greater Manchester, in February 2009 by George Appleton, who had a record of violence against women.
Her father, Michael Brown, campaigned for the introduction of Clare’s Law, arguing her death would have been prevented had she known her partner’s history.
The introduction followed pilot schemes in four areas – Greater Manchester, Gwent, Nottinghamshire and Wiltshire – since September 2012.
If you have concerns about your partner’s background, you can apply for disclosure by going to the police.
You can visit your local station in person, call 101 or speak to an officer on the street.
Once you’ve made contact, the police may invite you in for a chat to put in the application.
If they do not make a disclosure, that means either the police don’t have any information on your partner, or they don’t feel there is any risk to you at that time.
If there is a disclosure, they should make a referral to a specialist service to get support for you or the parties involved and help create a safety plan.
The legislation also allows members of the public to make enquiries into the partner of a close friend or family member.
Maddie says that Brennan flipped from being a doting dad into violent ragesSupplied SuppliedIt was during her pregnancy with her son that Brennan first strangled Maddie[/caption] SuppliedAfter miscarrying their twins, Maddie was strangled again. Pictured: The marks left by his attack[/caption]“Everyone makes mistakes, and I wanted to think he’d grown up and matured.”
Maddie fell pregnant and gave birth to the couple’s son in January 2024.
Maddie says: “Towards the end of the pregnancy I was sent a video of Liam cheating on me in the pub with another girl.
“I confronted him and he flew into a rage and squeezed his hands around my throat.
Violent monster
“I thought he was going to kill me. I didn’t know what to do; I was about to give birth and I didn’t want to be on my own.
“After, he was very remorseful and, though I knew I should leave, I was afraid.
“In between his rages, Liam rubbed my feet and helped me around the house and told our friends how much he loved me. He could be so lovely and that made it very hard.
“But he was also very cruel, reminding me I’d already had one failed relationship with my son’s father, so I couldn’t afford another.
“He made me feel as though I was the one to blame, even though he was violent.”
The following summer, Maddie fell pregnant with twins.
She says: “Whilst it was overwhelming, I was excited and Liam was too.”
But in June 2024, at 10 weeks pregnant, Maddie began bleeding at home before she collapsed and miscarried.
She was rushed to hospital and admitted for four days. When she arrived home, she found a pair of women’s glasses in her kitchen.
He threw me up against the wall and squeezed my neck and I had to fight for my life
Maddie BensonShe says: “I was heartbroken. The miscarriages were so traumatic and I was physically and emotionally shattered.
“Then I came out of hospital to find there had been another woman in my home. I confronted Liam and again, he lost his temper and tried to strangle me.
“He threw me up against the wall and squeezed my neck and I had to fight for my life.
“I had a code with my best friend that if I ever texted her any fruit, then I was in danger. I couldn’t call the police because Liam was there, so I quickly texted her a pineapple emoji. She replied: ‘R u for real?’ and so I sent another pineapple.
“Within minutes, the police were there. I was terrified of making a statement but I knew I had no other choice.”
Horror attack
Maddie and her children were moved to a refuge in Birmingham and, after a period on remand, Liam was granted bail. Maddie later returned to her home in Hampshire.
Domestic abuse - how to get help
DOMESTIC abuse can affect anyone - including men - and does not always involve physical violence.
Here are some signs that you could be in an abusive relationship:
Emotional abuse – Including being belittled, blamed for the abuse – gaslighting – being isolated from family and friends, having no control over your finances, what you where and who you speak to Threats and intimidation – Some partners might threaten to kill or hurt you, destroy your belongings, stalk or harass you Physical abuse – This can range from slapping or hitting to being shoved over, choked or bitten. Sexual abuse – Being touched in a way you do not want to be touched, hurt during sex, pressured into sex or forced to have sex when you do not consent.If any of the above apply to you or a friend, you can call these numbers:
The Freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge on 0808 2000 247 for free at any time, day or night Men who are being abused can call Respect Men’s Advice Line on 0808 8010 327 or ManKind on 0182 3334 244 Those who identify as LGBT+ can ring Galop on 0800 999 5428 If you are in immediate danger or fear for your life, always ring 999Remember, you are not alone.
1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience domestic abuse over the course of their lifetime.
Every 30 seconds the police receive a call for help relating to domestic abuse.
She says: “I was living in fear. I couldn’t grieve for my lost twins because I was so traumatised by Liam’s behaviour. I was coping with so much.
“One night in August, I had a friend round when the front door burst open and I was confronted with a man in a balaclava and gloves.
“He was completely covered and I thought he was a burglar. I was screaming: ‘Please don’t kill me, I have kids. I have nothing valuable.’
“I thought I was going to die. It was only when he started shouting my name and that I was a slag and a slut that I recognised Liam’s voice.
Don’t ever believe you can’t manage on your own because you can – you are so much stronger than you think
Maddie Benson“He assaulted my friend and then he threw me on the bed and strangled me. He had his hand on my mouth, I couldn’t breathe. It was horrific.
“I was fighting back, kicking and screaming, terrified I was going to leave my children without a mother. The baby started screaming and he stopped suddenly and fled.”
Maddie again spoke to the police and she and her children were forced to move house for their own safety.
In April 2025 Brannan appeared before Winchester Crown where he admitted three charges of strangulation, two assaults on Maddie and one assault on her friend.
He was jailed for six years.
Maddie says: “I was relieved by the sentence; it gives me a chance to rebuild my life.
“I suffer terribly with flashbacks and bad dreams. I keep hearing the door being bashed in and people screaming, but it’s all in my head.
“I’m taking my recovery one day at a time but I’ve done the hard part.
“I hope others will learn from my story. Please don’t ever think that violence from your partner is your fault. There is never any excuse for it.
“And don’t ever believe you can’t manage on your own because you can – you are so much stronger than you think.”
SuppliedMaddie wants to encourage other domestic violence survivors to seek help[/caption] Read More Details
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