Thug jailed for dragging Hayling Island ex-girlfriend down garden path on Christmas Day

Lucie Wakely, 30, was left with cuts on her legs and bruises so painful it hurt to bend down to play with her children after being assaulted by Zac Slaven on Christmas Day last year.

The pair had met in 2015 but had an on/off relationship marked by paranoia and controlling behaviour on his part after the birth of their son two years later, Lucie said in a statement given to magistrates.

The pair tried to rekindle their relationship in December 2019, and agreed 27-year-old Slaven of Carronade Walk, Hilsea, would share Boxing Day with her and their child.

But he instead arrived after 11pm on Christmas Day in a taxi to Lucie’s home in Hayling Island claiming to want to see the pair briefly - instantly accusing Lucie of cheating on him.

In their relationship he had previously forced her to purge all men from her Facebook account, such was his paranoia.

Lucie told The News: ‘On Christmas Day he turned up at my home at 11pm at night with a taxi waiting outside for him and came in to “see the kids” but started accusing me of sleeping with his friend, tried to steal my phone off me so I started to dial 999.

‘He tried to snatch the phone off me but it’s attached to my hand with a phone ring so I got dragged up the entirety of my garden path behind him as he tried to escape with my phone.

‘When the phone ring snapped and freed me from him he smashed my phone on the path and left in the taxi.’

Slaven denied assault by beating but later admitted the charge and was jailed for three months with a two-year restraining order. He also admitted damaging Lucie's Huawei phone.

In a statement submitted to Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court last month, Lucie added: ‘I couldn't understand how he could do this to me on Christmas Day over a lie someone had told him specifically to annoy him during an argument.

‘I was an emotional wreck and my depression hit an all time low, all Christmas activities were cancelled and I barely left my home for a few weeks due to the cuts on my legs being so painful when I bent my knees even slightly.

Lucie, a mum-of-two, added: ‘I was unable to bend down and play with my children.’

Lucie said, in her statement, she had repeatedly tried to patch up a relationship with Slaven, only to find he secretly had another girlfriend each time.

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She added: ‘He has convinced me even now that no one else will ever put up with me and I'm too messed up for anyone to love.

‘So whenever he came back proclaiming he wanted to be a family again, I would give him another chance as I honestly feel so worthless as a person that him asking me back made me feel lucky he even wanted someone as awful as me.’

Slaven was jailed in mid-July.

A Hampshire police spokeswoman detailed the initial 999 report. She said: ‘Our initial report, received 11.23pm on December 25, 2019, was that Slaven had snatched the phone out of her hand and walked into the garden with it.

‘The victim has tried to get the phone back and reported being dragged around as she was trying to do so. He has then smashed her phone.’

For help, call Hampshire Domestic Abuse Service on 03300 165 112 or the Victim Care Service on 0808 178 1641.

The National Domestic Abuse Helpline can be contacted on 0808 2000 247. There is also a 24/7 Covid-19 response domestic abuse helpline offered by Aurora New Dawn on (023) 9421 6816 to anyone in Hampshire.

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