Woman's violent ex had 'sickening' secret in the attic

The attic hid a dark secret. Photo / Have Your Say Stories

With two babies under one, Amy Birch is a busy single mum, trying her hardest to give them a happy life.

But behind the smiling selfies with her young children is a terrifying story about the cruel domestic abuse the 20-year-old from the UK suffered at the hands of her "knight in shining armour".

Her ex-partner Aaron Chidgey, 25, has just been jailed for 15 months after subjecting Amy to a creepy campaign of harassment, reports news.com.au.

Despite two court orders telling Aaron to stay away from Amy's home, he hid in her attic for six days, secretly watching the mum and her kids.

Here Amy shares her story in her own words:

Amy Birch's ex Aaron Chidgey broke into her house and hid in the attic after already being jailed twice for assaulting her. Photo / Have Your Say Stories

"I was sickened to discover Aaron had been in my home for God knows how long, I had no idea.

"My fear is that he will stop at nothing to hurt me. I have moved 10 times in the last year to hide from him but he always finds me."

Amy started a relationship with Chidgey three years ago, when she was homeless and living on the streets of Exeter.

She said: "I was at my lowest ebb. I'd been drinking and using drugs. I just wanted someone to rescue me from myself."

On her second night sleeping rough, January 11, 2017, Amy heard someone calling her name as she searched for somewhere safe to spend the night in the city centre.

He hid behind this hatch in the temporary accommodation Amy had been housed in. Photo / Have Your Say Stories

She said: "It was my second night on the streets when I bumped into Aaron.

"I knew him from around the city but we weren't friends. It was such a relief to see a familiar face.

"All I wanted I was someone to protect me and take me under their wing."

Chidgey took Amy to a camp he shared with some friends – and they spent the night in his tent.

Amy said: "He was so kind to me and we stayed up talking all night. From then on we were a couple.

"He would say such lovely things, like I was his princess and how he was the luckiest man to have me on his arm."

Amy started contacting homeless charities to get help, as well as saving cash for a new home.

But Chidgey kept asking her to use the money for drugs.

Amy met Chidgey as a homeless 17-year-old, and hoped he would take her under his wing. Photo / Have Your Say Stories

Amy said: "I was never addicted to drink or drugs but Aaron couldn't go without.

"I could make more money begging so he'd often send me out the tent to get him cash for drugs.

"The first time I said 'no' is when he turned nasty.

"He hit me and slammed my head into the hard ground of the tent. I had blood all over my face and ran away to find help.

"The next day he begged for forgiveness and said he was sorry. I accepted his apology. I had nowhere else to go."

It wasn't long before Amy had saved enough to rent the couple a private flat. But once they were behind closed doors, Chidgey's abused escalated.

Amy said: "The privacy we had at home made Aaron worse.

"He hung me from a cabinet once so I was struggling to breathe. He would punch holes in the walls and hit me regularly.

"I covered for him, I patched up the house. I didn't know what else to do."

Amy has a son by Chidgey and another child from a fling with a friend. Photo / Have Your Say Stories

In August 2017, Chidgey was jailed for threatening and abusive behaviour after pinning Amy down in the street.

But Amy took him back when he was released seven months later, and Chidgey moved back into her home – until she fell pregnant.

She said: "Once I find out I was expecting in February 2018, my whole attitude changed.

"I couldn't allow myself to be hurt and dominated by this man anymore, I had a baby to protect.

"And I didn't want him doing drugs in my home."

Reluctantly, Chidgey moved out — but he didn't stay away for long.

Amy said: "The next 18 months were a nightmare. Aaron was jailed again for assaulting me. But everywhere I went he followed.

"In the first year of my eldest son's life, I moved 10 times to try to escape Aaron. "

When he was released from prison a second time, Chidgey broke into Amy's temporary accommodation.

Amy said: "He scaled the outside of my apartment block and broke in through the balcony.

"I woke up with him sat on my bed. My son was asleep in the crib next to me.

"'You can run but you can't hide'," he said menacingly.

"He only left when my mum and nan called by to take me away for the weekend, on a planned girly trip.

"As soon as I was out of the building we called the police to watch the apartment and stop Aaron from re-entering."

By this time, Amy was five months pregnant with another man's baby.

Amy said: "I fell pregnant after a fling with a good friend. It wasn't planned but I would never have an abortion.

"The father was too scared of Aaron to stick around and I respected his wishes.

"Being a single mum to two babies was going to be hard, I knew that. But I felt like I could do anything as long as I was safe from Aaron."

When she got back from holiday, Amy started to notice strange things happening in her flat home. Blankets and pillows went missing, and Amy also noticed dirty dishes on the side she hadn't used.

Amy feels much safer now Chidgey is locked up again. Photo / Have Your Say Stories

After six days of this, she realised Chidgey must be responsible, and came up with a plan to catch Aaron hiding in her house.

She said: "I was so stressed I wasn't thinking straight.

"My family said I was just being paranoid but I decided to get in a long hot shower and when I was finished, I didn't turn off the water.

"I thought if Aaron was in the house then he'd take that chance to move around — and I was right.

"As I stepped out of the bathroom, I saw Aaron's feet disappear through the loft hatch.

"I screamed for him to get out and he jumped down. He coldly turned to me and said, 'I hope you lose that dirty baby' before fleeing."

Police arrested Chidgey, who was charged with one count of breaching a restraining order and two counts of breaching a non-molestation order.

He was jailed for 15 months on November 8, at Exeter Crown Court.

Amy said: "He'll only serve four months but this time they are keeping better tabs on him.

"At the moment I feel safe because he is locked up. But I don't want anyone else to feel the fear I live with.

"I want to tell other women there is help out there if you look for it and for them to know they are worthy of love and support.

"I am learning it for myself now and I want to raise my two boys to always respect women and treat people with kindness."

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE - DO YOU NEED HELP?

If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

If you're in danger now:

• Phone the police on 111 or ask neighbours of friends to ring for you.

• Run outside and head for where there are other people.

• Scream for help so that your neighbours can hear you.

• Take the children with you.

• Don't stop to get anything else.

• If you are being abused, remember it's not your fault. Violence is never okay

Where to go for help or more information:

• Women's Refuge: Free national crisis line operates 24/7 - 0800 refuge or 0800 733 843

www.womensrefuge.org.nz

• Shine, free national helpline 9am- 11pm every day - 0508 744 633

www.2shine.org.nz

• It's Not Ok: Information line 0800 456 450

www.areyouok.org.nz

• Shakti: Providing specialist cultural services for African, Asian and middle eastern women and their children. Crisis line 24/7 0800 742 584

• Ministry of Justice:

www.justice.govt.nz/family-justice/domestic-violence

• National Network of Stopping Violence:

www.nnsvs.org.nz

• White Ribbon: Aiming to eliminate men's violence towards women, focusing this year on sexual violence and the issue of consent.

www.whiteribbon.org.nz

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