Kesey dropped her chin to her chest, suddenly lost for words, as the young woman continued her story, her voice repeatedly breaking with raw emotion as she relived events as if in real-time.

‘I was staying at my sister’s place in Glyndwr Street at the top of town. A one bedroom flat on the first floor above the off-licence. Mike came after me. He kicked the door in. And then he gave me the worst beating of my life. And he smashed the place up too. Punishment, he called it. I deserved it, apparently. My sister somehow managed to lock herself in the bathroom to dial 999 before he got in there and got hold of her too. But the bastard was long gone before you lot finally turned up. I was pissing blood for a week.’

Kesey nodded, feeling a heady mix of sympathy, anger and frustration. ‘I’ve read the paperwork. Pearson was re-arrested, remanded, and given six months. It should have been a lot longer. I totally accept that.’

For the first time, Sally met Kesey’s tired eyes and held her gaze, looking back at her with an intense fevered stare. The young woman rushed her words, her voice rising in tone and pitch, her reddened eyes flickering like a faulty bulb. ‘Oh, yeah, he was given six months all right. But he was released after three. Twelve fucking weeks for kicking the crap out of me. And he’d assaulted my sister too. He smashed her right in the face, hard. He broke her nose. Twelve fucking weeks for all that and then they released the bastard for good behaviour. Good behaviour! He doesn’t know the meaning. How do you think that went for me? It wasn’t great. I’ll tell you that much. It would have been better if my sister had never rung you lot at all.’

Kesey sighed. ‘I’m so very sorry to hear that. It must have been truly awful for you. But it’s going to be different this time.’

‘Mike found me again on the first day he was out. He followed me down a backstreet after dark and dragged me back to his place. He told me he’d kill me if I ever spoke to the police again. And I believed him too. I still believe him. He’s one vicious bastard. I think he’s capable of almost anything. The quicker you’re out of here, the happier I’ll be. Because someone will tell him, they always do. He knows a lot of people in this town. They like him. He’s got spies everywhere.’

Kesey bounced a knee. Her question seemed redundant, pointless in the circumstances, but she had to ask it. What other choice did she have? ‘So, am I right in thinking you’re not ready to make a statement?’

‘Not a fucking chance.’

Kesey swallowed again, wondering why her mouth felt so very parched. She knew the system was inadequate. She knew it sometimes let victims down. But it was all she had. She had to work with it, failings and all. ‘Okay, I get that. I understand where you’re coming from. And I’m not going to try to pressure you into doing something you don’t want to do.’