I’m brain damaged & have a stutter after boxer fiancé raped & beat me on my birthday weekend away
SOBBING Alana Rose-Huntingdon sent a traumatic text to her best friend saying "he’s done it again, but worst this time", after a brutal beating from her fiancé.
She didn’t know if she would survive after collapsing in a pool of her own blood, with her face swollen twice the size.
On one occasion, the brute nearly murdered Alana, breaking her nose, ribs, eye socket and leaving her with a bleed to the brain.
Read more on domestic abuse
Now, McHanon has been imprisoned for 21 years and Alana’s bravely speaking to Fabulous to raise awareness for domestic violence survivors.
Jake left me with a stutter, sight loss and permanent brain damage.
Alana Rose-Huntingdon
Alana, a wellness coach, says: “Jake left me with a stutter, sight loss and permanent brain damage.
“But the mental trauma is far worse, and I’m getting therapy for my crippling PTSD.
“I thought I was going to be another statistic; another woman killed from domestic violence. But I survived.
“To any other women out there suffering in silence like I did, please leave.
"They will never change and you will lose your life.”
In June 2021, Alana met McHanon at a house party in Merseyside, where the pair instantly clicked.
Alana says: “At that time, I was very vulnerable and struggling with a lot. Jake made me feel safe and heard.
“We were inseparable, and he felt like my twin flame.
“As Jake was a professional boxer, he was 6ft tall with strong, muscular arms. I fell head over heels in love.”
The couple had a whirlwind romance and moved in together after just one week.
But McHanon’s behaviour soon changed, and he started to monitor Alana’s phone calls.
He forced me to put my calls on loudspeaker so he could listen. I thought it was because we came as a pair, and it was romantic.
Alana Rose-Huntingdon
Alana says: “He forced me to put my calls on loudspeaker so he could listen. I thought it was because we came as a pair, and it was romantic.
“But, he started checking my messages too. Then he wouldn’t give me my phone at all, stopping me talking to everyone. I became isolated.
“After a while, Jake stopped me from going out. I couldn’t even go to the shops for food. I’d become a recluse.
“As he controlled everything, I told myself it was out of love.”
But McHanon began spitting vile names at Alana too, calling her a s*** and making her cry constantly.
HOW YOU CAN GET HELP:
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a - available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
After six months together, in December 2021, McHanon proposed to Alana, which she accepted in the hopes of it being a fresh start.
But after the engagement, he continued controlling her every move and belittling her at every chance.
Then, in February 2022, a woman called his phone and when Alana confronted him about cheating, he flew into a rage.
She says: “He jumped onto me, laying punch after punch to my face and stomach.
“As Jake was a boxer, each blow to the face nearly killed me."
I didn’t want to be alive anymore. But I believed him when he promised to change.
Alana Rose-Huntingdon
She continues: “I crawled towards the door. But he grabbed my legs, and dragged me back in.
“He then pounded on me again, and I eventually blacked out.
"Days later, he apologised and promised to never do it again.
“I didn’t want to be alive anymore. But I believed him when he promised to change.
“After that, I was black and blue constantly.
At night, he began forcing himself on me in bed too.
Alana Rose-Huntingdon
"If I ever tried to leave him, he’d threaten to kill himself. I gave him chance after chance."
She says: “At night, he began forcing himself on me in bed too.
“I was being abused in every possible way, yet I couldn’t see a way out.”
Meanwhile, Alana’s family were worried sick, but she lived a double-life, lying constantly to protect her fiancé.
Later that year, in June 2022, the couple went on a hotel break to celebrate Alana’s birthday.
Alana says: “In the hotel, Jake punched, kicked and beat me all over, worse than he’d ever done before.
“He repeatedly smashed my head into the floor, whilst I was screaming for help from the hotel staff. I thought I was going to die."
He repeatedly smashed my head into the floor, whilst I was screaming for help from the hotel staff. I thought I was going to die
Alana Rose-Huntingdon
She says: “Finally, a cleaner heard and banged on the door. After Jake went to sleep that night, the hotel manager called an ambulance, and I was blue-lighted to hospital.
“Doctors told me I had a bleed to the brain. I wanted to cry, but I was falling in and out of consciousness again.”
It took days for Alana to come around, and when she did, doctors informed her they’d luckily stopped the bleed to her brain.
Her body, and face, was black with bruises, and she discovered she also had a bruised eye socket, broken nose, and broken ribs.
Horrifyingly, the brain injury left her with a permanent stutter too.
Alana says: “I was lucky to be alive, but I still couldn’t face reporting Jake. I was terrified, and still loved him.
“After healing at home, I escaped to a refuge. But Jake bombarded me with calls non-stop.
“I kept going back to him, believing his lies, and false promises. He had such a hold over me.”
I was lucky to be alive, but I still couldn’t face reporting Jake. I was terrified, and still loved him
Alana Rose-Huntingdon
In August 2022, it was taken out of Alana’s hands after the police arrested McHanon.
Alana, afraid for her life, finally found the courage to tell the police everything.
As she waited for the trial, she struggled with extreme PTSD and was petrified to leave the house.
In November 2023, Jake McHanon, 32, was found guilty of one count of ABH, one count of GBH, two counts of rape and one count of controlling and coercive behaviour against Alana at Liverpool Crown Court.
He was sentenced to life, with a minimum term of 21 years.
Alana says: “In court, I heard Jake shouting abuse at me from the docks. But I stayed strong.
“After hearing his sentence, I felt shocked, relieved, upset, guilty; every emotion possible. But I knew he had to be put away.
“Now, I’ve been left with a stutter, sight loss and permanent brain damage.
“I’ve been doing therapy and have even taken up boxing which helps relieve my stress.
“To anyone experiencing domestic violence, your partner will promise you the world, but they won’t change.
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“Reach out to a loved one or call a domestic violence helpline. You will be believed, and you don’t have to struggle alone.”
She has chosen to waive her right to anonymity.