THE VICTIM of a Darlington boxer took to social media to show the world the damage domestic abuse can do.

Daniel Fleary was captured on video screaming at his former girlfriend that she was “pathetic” as she cowered in fear and begged to be allowed to go home.

He then sent the video to the woman, who later posted it online, along with pictures of bruises and injuries sustained as a result of his violent behaviour.

At Peterlee Magistrates Court on Wednesday, June 14, Fleary pleaded guilty to harassing and assaulting his ex-girlfriend throughout their relationship and after they split.

Fleary, outwardly a “charming and popular” sportsman, met the woman online and in a move her friends described as ‘love-bombing’, showered her with affection, persuading her to move in with him just months into the intense relationship.

While living together, friends say, the couple’s relationship quickly became turbulent, with Fleary said to have behaved in an increasingly erratic and controlling manner, at some points bombarding her with hundreds of messages a day.

While the victim and her family did not feel able to speak about their ordeal, sources close to them have worked with The Northern Echo in a bid to highlight the impact of domestic abuse.

They claim Fleary used his huge frame to intimidate their friend, leaving her with cuts, bruises and grazes after “pushing and throwing” her around.

The woman was once left with a friction burn to her forehead after he wrestled her to the floor in an attempt to snatch her phone and stop her calling her mother.

The abusive relationship broke down several times but on each occasion, the woman would be bombarded with coercive messages, with Fleary sending tearful videos of himself pleading with her not to leave.

Eventually reported to the authorities, the 35-year-old company manager was issued with a ‘police information notice’ that warned him against contacting the woman.

Flouting the order, he persisted in his contact and eventually managed to persuade her to visit him at his Darlington home, where an argument broke out.

Fleary attacked the woman after she began screaming for help when he refused to let her leave, with the video he recorded during the altercation showing her begging to be allowed to go home.

Police reports say he pushed, shoved and grabbed her, threw items and left her with bruises and blisters to her arms, legs and buttocks.

A document prepared ahead of the court case details the impact the abuse had on Fleary’s ex-girlfriend.

In it, she claims he left her a recluse, destroyed her confidence and left her fearing for the safety of herself and her family, adding: “I am scared to go out and have lost all faith in my judge of character, worrying about ever meeting anyone I can trust again.

“He made me feel everyone was against me and no-one would believe me.

“He got me feeling so low, getting into my head and making me feel I couldn’t survive as he would make my life hell.

“On the night of the assault, I have never been so scared, he had lost it before but this was something else. He had rage in his eyes.

“I thought he was going to kill me and that I would never see my little son again.”

In her public Instagram post, she said she hoped her story would help others flee abusive partners, adding: “I got out in the end and survived but thousands don’t.

“If anybody’s reading this just remember it never gets better, it just gets worse and the less control they have over you, the more dangerous it becomes.”

She added:“I don't hate him, I just feel cheated.

"I really hope he gets the help he needs and hopefully I have stopped him from repeating this with some other poor girl."

Fleary pleaded guilty to harassment and assault and must serve a 12 month community order with 200 hours of unpaid work. He must also pay costs of £85 and £250 compensation to the victim. A restraining order was also issued.

He said: "There are two sides to every story, the cost of legal representation was too much for me to afford to be able fight this in court otherwise I would have done.

"I am taking the punishment and I just want to move on with my life and put this behind me."

The Northern Echo understands the woman is now rebuilding her life with the help of charity Harbour.

Her friends hope her experiences encourage those in a similar situation to seek help and are urging people to use Claire’s Law, which allows anybody to find out if their partner has a history of domestic abuse by calling police on 101.