A woman has spoken out after her jealous boyfriend stabbed her with a MACHETE before going on a drug-fuelled street rampage.
Chesley Morris, 21, had been in a relationship with Ryan Abbott, 28, for three-and-a-half years when he launched the vicious attack on her in his flat.
Abbott appeared “jealous” and ran at Chelsey with the blade – stabbing her in the back.
He tried to stab her in the head but Chelsey raised her arm and he slashed her finger – leaving her needing surgery to repair the damage.
Chelsey felt like a “hostage” and pleaded for him to let her go before he ran out the house and continued his rampage down the street.
Chelsey’s story –
Weaving through the crowded house party, I spotted my friends who were talking to an older guy.
He introduced himself as Ryan Abbott – he was pretty good-looking and I felt a flutter of nerves as we started chatting.
‘My name’s Chelsey,’ I said shyly.
‘Nice to meet you,’ he replied with a cheeky grin.
I was 15 and Ryan was 19 years old when we first met.
We had the same group of mates and I started seeing a lot more of him.
I fancied him straight away, but I didn’t think he felt the same way.
As the years went by I felt like we were getting closer – Ryan and I would message each other constantly.
Then in September 2016 – when I was 17 – Ryan invited me around to his new flat.
‘You should come over,’ he suggested, giving me the address.
I felt mix of nerves and excitement when I arrived at his place in Formby, Liverpool, but Ryan put me at ease instantly.
After a fun day together, Ryan wanted to make things official.
‘Want to be my girlfriend?’ he asked boldly.
‘Yes,’ I blushed, giving him a kiss.
We kept our relationship a secret to begin with because we didn’t want all our friends knowing.
It was quite fun – all the sneaking around – we spent most of our time hanging out at his flat.
Ryan treated me to a couple of meals at the local Toby Carvary but I could tell he wasn’t happy about being out with me.
‘What’s wrong?’ I asked, tucking into my roast dinner.
‘I don’t like everyone looking at you,’ he said bitterly across the table.
He was very attentive and protective – maybe a little too much.
The first four month of our relationship went by in a flash and everything seemed perfect.
So much so in January 2017, Ryan and I took a big step.
‘Do you want to move in with me?’ he asked, handing me a set of keys to his flat.
‘I’d love to,’ I squealed excitedly.
I couldn’t wait to start my life with him but as soon as I moved it, things took a turn.
Ryan’s ‘protectiveness’ started to feel more like jealousy and I left the house less and less.
‘Where are you going?’ he asked angrily as I headed for the door.
‘I was going to see my family,’ I replied, putting my bag back down in defeat.
It was easier to stay in than argue about where I was going.
It got pretty lonely in the flat and I started to lose touch with my friends.
I talked to mum, Emma, 39, a lot about Ryan – she wasn’t a fan.
‘You should come home,’ she said over the phone.
Ryan also had a rocky relationship with drugs and drinking but I tried to stay out of it.
I noticed that Ryan had a temper and things were always kicking off when we got into an argument.
Our three year relationship was pretty volatile towards the end
No matter how bad it seemed Ryan had a way of talking me around – he knew how to get into my head.
In March 2020, I decided I was sick of feeling cooped up in the flat and started applying for jobs.
I managed to land myself one at the local chippy – I was so excited.
‘I start my shifts next week,’ I explained nervously to Ryan.
‘Why would you want to do that?’ he replied with a scoff.
That was the final straw – I couldn’t do it anymore.
That day, I packed up some things and headed back to my parents’ house.
It was terrifying to leave – Ryan was all I had known for years – but I needed to do what was best for me.
A couple of weeks went and I started to feel more settled.
I still felt worried that Ryan might turn up at any moment – I didn’t know what he might be capable of.
That evening, on Sunday 15th March 2020, I went out with my sister Charlotte*, 20, for some dinner.
‘Cheers!’ we laughed, clinking our glasses.
Just as I was about to tuck into my dinner, I spotted Ryan step in through the door.
‘What are you doing here?’ I asked in shock, dropping my cutlery.
‘Come back to the house so we can talk,’ he muttered angrily.
I didn’t want to cause a scene in the restaurant so I agreed to head back to the flat so we could chat.
The whole car ride was tense – Ryan was agitated and angry.
I felt like he was going to do something.
When we arrived back at the house Ryan flipped.
‘I’ve been going out my mind,’ he said erratically, pacing the hallway.
Ryan started quizzing me and getting jealous – asking me where I’d been and who I’d been seeing.
‘I don’t have to tell you that,’ I replied calmly but firmly.
Ryan’s face twisted in anger as he marched out of the room and into the kitchen.
I got up to leave and turned to see Ryan looming in the doorway with something shiny in his hand.
I felt my heartbeat quicken when I realised what it was – he was holding a machete.
‘What are you doing?’ I quivered, backing off slowly.
‘I’ll kill you!’ he yelled, running towards me like a lunatic.
I tried to open the front door but I wasn’t quick enough and Ryan sunk the knife into my back.
I screamed at the top of my lungs – the pain was unbelievable.
I managed to get myself up the stairs and hide in the bedroom as I shakily dialled my friend for help.
Downstairs Ryan was smashing up the TV and destroying the house.
I crept back downstairs to try and get out but he launched another attack.
‘Please don’t,’ I screeched, pleading for him to stop.
This time he swung the machete at my head but I managed to block with my arm just in time.
He slashed right through my index finger and there was blood everywhere.
I thought I was going to die.
‘Please let me go,’ I begged, feeling like a hostage.
I started feeling faint and cold from all the blood loss – every went a bit hazy.
In the end, Ryan left the house and continued his rampage down the street and through the neighbourhood.
Police arrived and so did my friend, who drove me straight to Whiston Hospital, Merseyside, Liverpool.
I was given two stitches in my back and I had to undergo surgery to sew my finger back together.
An officer came to take a statement from me and Ryan was arrested that night.
Around 11 neighbours called the police that night about a man running around topless with a machete.
The case went to Liverpool Crown Court in June 2020 and the true extent of Ryan’s rampage came out.
He was described as screaming like a lunatic, jumping on cars, into gardens and emptying wheelie bins.
He smashed windows at five properties in Francis Close, Liverpool, and caused £2,500 worth of damage.
He admitted affray, possessing a knife, a racially aggravated public order offence and five counts of criminal damage.
He denied wounding with intent and an alternative of wounding, but later admitted wounding, the lesser of the two offences.
Ryan Abbott jailed him for four years and said on his release he would be subject to a five-year restraining order against me.
I was terrified to go to court but I found the courage to face him and I’m so proud of myself.
After the attack, I struggled with anxiety and my mental health suffered.
It took a while but slowly started to get my life back on track.
I moved into my own place – something I never saw happening at first.
‘Time for a new start,’ I thought, looking around my new flat proudly.
I lost a lot of years feeling trapped and sad in that relationship, and now I’m finally doing what’s best for me.
For the first time in a long time, I’m excited about my future.