My ex-partner gave me black eyes for my birthday

A domestic abuse survivor has called on the justice system to sentence perpetrators more quickly after they are convicted.

Joanne Scott, from Ballygowan in County Down, spent seven years in a relationship with Christopher John Black, 43, of Beechfield Drive in Donaghadee, County Down.

He was jailed last month for committing offences against his former partner, including sexual assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Ms Scott said it was almost a year between his conviction and sentencing.

The Office of the Lady Chief Justice said if the prosecution or defence is "not ready" for sentencing they may apply for an "adjournment which the court may agree to in the interests of justice".

In a statement, they said: "Following a plea or finding of guilt the court will ordinarily adjourn a case for sentencing to allow for the provision of a pre-sentence report and expert medical report/s as deemed necessary."

The 37-year-old mother described the justice system as "a mess".

Black was convicted in May 2024 but the sentencing kept getting delayed.

"It (the case) kept getting adjourned and kept getting adjourned, and it was literally every month," she told BBC News NI.

"You were geared up to do it and then let down, literally with not even a week's notice or a few days notice, literally on the day.

"You know, you have to get the kids out of school. You're gearing yourself up, and then you're ready. And then bang."

Warning: This page contains distressing details and photos.

Ms Scott said the abuse started about six months into the relationship when "he threw a remote" at her.

When she found out she was pregnant, she said she felt "stuck".

"That was me just putting up with it basically from then on in," she said.

"And then it just got steadily worse, like black eyes for my birthday, black eyes left, right and centre.

"I wasn't allowed to wear makeup if I was going out without him. I had to wear makeup when I was going out with him, because apparently I didn't look good enough."

Ms Scott ended up in hospital after a period of not eating.

"I was drinking and my body started shutting down," she said.

"He was the problem. I was in hospital for a week and then I came home back to the abuse."

At this point, Ms Scott said she feared she had "six months to a year to survive here" and worried about what would happen to her children.

Black sexually assaulted her.

After that, she thought to herself: "'He has no boundaries, no boundaries whatsoever'."

She "still stuck it out" until her friend came over.

"She sat me down, and said: 'Joanne, you need to do something', and she sat with me for hours on end."

"'Right, this is it. I have to do it'. And that's when I phoned the police," Ms Scott said.

"That (sexual assault) was my cut ties sort of thing. I was like: 'No, I have got to do this'."

Ms Scott thinks if the justice system was faster it would help everyone.

For her, it felt like the process was "dragging".

"I was getting myself worked up because I was like: 'I need the sentencing, I need to have justice, I need to see this for myself, I need closure'.

Ms Scott said: "It was 2024 when he was convicted, so it's been a year, and it was literally every month" that the sentencing was adjourned.

"You gear yourself up and it was the day of sentencing that they ring you and say: 'No, it's not happening'.

"I think that was the biggest problem with the justice system.

"I'm supposed to be the victim here. Am I not allowed to have closure?"

Black was sentenced to six years - three years to be served in prison and the rest under supervised licence conditions.

Ms Scott welcomed the sentence when it finally came and feels like her former partner "got what he deserved".

"It restored my sort-of faith in the justice system," she said.

She still laments "why I put up with it (the abuse) for so long".

She hopes that by sharing her story it will encourage others experiencing domestic violence to "fight" through the justice system.

"You need to just do it because there is the light at the end of the tunnel," she said.

"You need to just get through it and it's hard. Take every support that you're given.

"Just do it because the world's not going to change if you don't."

If you are affected by any of the issues in this article details of help and support are available on the BBC Action Line.