A jealous thug who poured boiling water over his girlfriend and ruined her chances of getting a modelling contract, has been jailed.
Andrew Smith, 36, beat Terri Quaif “black and blue” and left her with blistering and burns to her thighs and groin after one of several horrific attacks.
A court heard Miss Quaif, 28, an aspiring-model, thought Smith was the “absolutely perfect” man when they first got together in 2013.
But just three months later Smith started to become abusive and controlling over Miss Quaif’s movements.
In November of the same year he attacked her at their home in Rugby, Warks., when he poured boiling water over her before setting fire to her clothes.
She was too scared to report the attack to police but medical notes described burns and blistering to her thighs and lower groin, bruising to her neck and body, and bleeding from her ear.
Miss Quaif stayed with Smith but he was arrested after he beat her unconscious in 2015 which left her in hospital for four days.
Smith, a joiner from Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Warks., admitted two charges of assault and was jailed for two-and-a-half years at Warwick Crown Court on Friday (28/7).
Judge Andrew Lockhart QC said: “You were in a relationship with Terri Quaif, and that woman was the subject of violent and controlling behaviour by you which has seriously affected her life.
“In 2013 there was an incident when she was scalded by boiling water.
“That is a serious matter, and you also assaulted her, causing injury to her neck and face.
“It was 18 months later, knowing you had done that, that you did this: you punched her to the face and knocked her to the ground and kicked and stamped on her, and she was in hospital for four days.”
The court heard Smith beat Ms Quaif “until she was black and blue” before setting fire to her clothes in 2013.
In March 2015 Smith assaulted her following a birthday party – beating her until she was unconscious and kicking and stamping on her head as she came round.
As a result of the mental and physical impact of the attacks, Miss Quaif lost a modelling contract.
The court heard that when police questioned him about the hot water attack Smith, who has a string of previous convictions for violence, claimed she had spilled hot tea on herself.
Giving evidence, Miss Quaif said: “I was so scared to do or say anything. He loved having control of me.
“I would like to live a normal life, without fear.
“When he becomes violent I’m in fear that he will kill me, deliberately or by accident.
“My mum once said to me ‘Terri, you’re meant to bury me, I’m not meant to bury you.’
“I loved him as well as feared him, which is what kept me captive for so long.”
Prosecutor Caroline Harris said Smith had “exhibited some aggression and jealousy” during their relationship.
Lee Egan, defending, said: “He doesn’t accept everything in terms of what has been opened by the prosecution, but he does not wish to dispute it.
“He has not been in trouble since 2015, and he is making efforts with respect to the difficulties he has had in his life.”
