Each time Louisa Marke looks in the mirror, she is reminded of the cruelty she suffered at the hands of her ex-partner.
In an act of unimaginable evil, Peter Scott poured a kettle of boiling water over her when she was three months pregnant with his child.
Today, seven years later, Louisa speaks candidly to The Sun about how she turned her terrifying ordeal into something positive — training to be a lawyer to help other victims of domestic violence.
In June 2008, call centre worker Peter Scott, now 32, was jailed for three years after pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent at Harrow Crown Court.
The baby survived his attack but Louisa, who suffered 20 per cent burns to her neck and chest, was too traumatised to continue with the pregnancy and had a termination.
Louisa, 27, from Cambridge says: “It has been a long journey to get where I am now. But going into law gave me a sense of purpose and the thought of securing justice for other domestic violence victims spurred me on.
“I never imagined someone could be so callous — especially not to the woman who was carrying his own child.
“To this day it’s hard to comprehend how anybody could do something so awful to another human being.”
In summer 2005, when Louisa was 19, she met Scott at a betting shop in Kilburn, north-west London, where he lived.
She had moved to the area and was desperate for a job.
She says: “He was funny and charming. At first we were friends but when I started working at the betting shop we began dating a few months later.
“He seemed like a normal, nice guy — someone I could trust and depend on.”
But when Louisa moved in with Scott a year later, she noticed changes in his personality. She recalls: “There were little things at first, like him wanting to know where I was going and who I was with.
“But his possessiveness soon changed into something more sinister. He became irrational and jealous. He’d even accuse me of giving my dog, Lady, more attention than him. I thought it was a phase and that he’d snap out of it.”
Scott’s behaviour did not change and, one evening in summer 2006, he shocked Louisa with an unprovoked outburst.
She says: “I got in from work and I noticed he had drunk a big bottle of vodka. Before I could open my mouth he flew off the handle and started shouting at me. The next day he started crying and begging for my forgiveness.
“Stupidly, I fell for his crocodile tears and gave him another chance. But our relationship was never the same after that and it became volatile.”
If Louisa thought things could not get any worse, then she was wrong.
On New Year’s Eve 2007, Scott changed her life forever.
Louisa says: “We had returned home from the supermarket and had planned on having a nice evening in as I was three months pregnant.
“I was watching TV when Peter said he was taking the dog out for a walk. When he arrived home I noticed he had a knife on him and we began to argue.
“I was furious and questioned why he had it. After half an hour, Peter seemed to calm down and I put the kettle on and started preparing a nice dinner.
“The kettle was boiling and beginning to whistle when he charged past me and picked it up.
“The next thing I remember is him throwing it over me and the excruciating pain that followed.
“I was only wearing a thin dressing gown and was completely naked underneath.
“I looked down and, to my horror, my skin was peeling.”
Incredibly, in the midst of her shock, Louisa managed to get a blanket and soaked it with cold water to cover her burns. Then, she screamed at Peter to call an ambulance.
She says: “I could hear him pacing up and down saying, ‘Oh my God, I’ve really done it now — I’m going to be done in’.
“Somehow, I managed to find my phone and called 999 and an ambulance arrived 15 minutes later.
“It was New Year’s Eve so the emergency services were really stretched.”
As the paramedics did their best to comfort Louisa and alleviate her pain, Peter hovered around and even had the gall to get into the ambulance with her.
She said: “I was taken to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital where they gave me some morphine.
“Doctors presumed I’d been involved in a terrible accident and Peter was playing the role of the worried, supportive boyfriend.”
Louisa had horrific burns on her neck and chest. She says: “The next day I finally opened up to the doctors about what really happened and they told Peter to leave the premises.
“Then they contacted the police and social services.
“Initially, like many women who have been in violent relationships, I blamed myself and didn’t want to press charges. But when I saw my mother’s devastated face, the penny dropped and I realised Peter was a dangerous man and I had to find the strength to prosecute him.”
Louisa also made the difficult decision to terminate the pregnancy.
She says: “I didn’t have the baby because I didn’t want to be connected to that monster for the rest of my life.”
The police arrested Scott and charged him. Although he was shocked Louisa had reported him, he pleaded guilty straight away.
She says: “The police told me he couldn’t believe it when they turned up to arrest him. Arrogantly, he genuinely thought I wouldn’t report him and I’d take him back instead. I was relieved when I found out he’d pleaded guilty at his plea hearing. This meant I wouldn’t have to give evidence at a trial and face him again.”
In an act of unimaginable evil, Peter Scott poured a kettle of boiling water over her when she was three months pregnant with his child.
Today, seven years later, Louisa speaks candidly to The Sun about how she turned her terrifying ordeal into something positive — training to be a lawyer to help other victims of domestic violence.
In June 2008, call centre worker Peter Scott, now 32, was jailed for three years after pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent at Harrow Crown Court.
The baby survived his attack but Louisa, who suffered 20 per cent burns to her neck and chest, was too traumatised to continue with the pregnancy and had a termination.
Louisa, 27, from Cambridge says: “It has been a long journey to get where I am now. But going into law gave me a sense of purpose and the thought of securing justice for other domestic violence victims spurred me on.
“I never imagined someone could be so callous — especially not to the woman who was carrying his own child.
“To this day it’s hard to comprehend how anybody could do something so awful to another human being.”
In summer 2005, when Louisa was 19, she met Scott at a betting shop in Kilburn, north-west London, where he lived.
She had moved to the area and was desperate for a job.
She says: “He was funny and charming. At first we were friends but when I started working at the betting shop we began dating a few months later.
“He seemed like a normal, nice guy — someone I could trust and depend on.”
But when Louisa moved in with Scott a year later, she noticed changes in his personality. She recalls: “There were little things at first, like him wanting to know where I was going and who I was with.
“But his possessiveness soon changed into something more sinister. He became irrational and jealous. He’d even accuse me of giving my dog, Lady, more attention than him. I thought it was a phase and that he’d snap out of it.”
Scott’s behaviour did not change and, one evening in summer 2006, he shocked Louisa with an unprovoked outburst.
She says: “I got in from work and I noticed he had drunk a big bottle of vodka. Before I could open my mouth he flew off the handle and started shouting at me. The next day he started crying and begging for my forgiveness.
“Stupidly, I fell for his crocodile tears and gave him another chance. But our relationship was never the same after that and it became volatile.”
If Louisa thought things could not get any worse, then she was wrong.
On New Year’s Eve 2007, Scott changed her life forever.
Louisa says: “We had returned home from the supermarket and had planned on having a nice evening in as I was three months pregnant.
“I was watching TV when Peter said he was taking the dog out for a walk. When he arrived home I noticed he had a knife on him and we began to argue.
“I was furious and questioned why he had it. After half an hour, Peter seemed to calm down and I put the kettle on and started preparing a nice dinner.
“The kettle was boiling and beginning to whistle when he charged past me and picked it up.
“The next thing I remember is him throwing it over me and the excruciating pain that followed.
“I was only wearing a thin dressing gown and was completely naked underneath.
“I looked down and, to my horror, my skin was peeling.”
Incredibly, in the midst of her shock, Louisa managed to get a blanket and soaked it with cold water to cover her burns. Then, she screamed at Peter to call an ambulance.
She says: “I could hear him pacing up and down saying, ‘Oh my God, I’ve really done it now — I’m going to be done in’.
“Somehow, I managed to find my phone and called 999 and an ambulance arrived 15 minutes later.
“It was New Year’s Eve so the emergency services were really stretched.”
As the paramedics did their best to comfort Louisa and alleviate her pain, Peter hovered around and even had the gall to get into the ambulance with her.
She said: “I was taken to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital where they gave me some morphine.
“Doctors presumed I’d been involved in a terrible accident and Peter was playing the role of the worried, supportive boyfriend.”
Louisa had horrific burns on her neck and chest. She says: “The next day I finally opened up to the doctors about what really happened and they told Peter to leave the premises.
“Then they contacted the police and social services.
“Initially, like many women who have been in violent relationships, I blamed myself and didn’t want to press charges. But when I saw my mother’s devastated face, the penny dropped and I realised Peter was a dangerous man and I had to find the strength to prosecute him.”
Louisa also made the difficult decision to terminate the pregnancy.
She says: “I didn’t have the baby because I didn’t want to be connected to that monster for the rest of my life.”
The police arrested Scott and charged him. Although he was shocked Louisa had reported him, he pleaded guilty straight away.
She says: “The police told me he couldn’t believe it when they turned up to arrest him. Arrogantly, he genuinely thought I wouldn’t report him and I’d take him back instead. I was relieved when I found out he’d pleaded guilty at his plea hearing. This meant I wouldn’t have to give evidence at a trial and face him again.”
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