by Josie Hannett and Paul Hooper

A courageous woman has spoken of her 11-year nightmare at the hands of her boyfriend who repeatedly raped her and controlled her every move.

Kirsty Screene dreamt of becoming a veterinary nurse – but that was shattered the day she met bouncer Jamie Taylor.

She was an 18-year-old college student, vulnerable after the death of her brother, who fell under the evil spell of control freak Taylor, 12 years her senior.

Video: Mum speaks out of campaign of abuse

The pair moved to London Road in Maidstone in 2006, which is when he began to subject her to a campaign of rapes and brutal and humiliating attacks – many including the use of a gun and a baseball bat to threaten her.

But the 30-year-old mum found the strength to tell police of her heart-breaking ordeal and Taylor, of Flimwell in Sussex, has now been jailed for 23 years.

Prosecutor Vivian Walters told the jury: “From 2006, the relationship deteriorated into a catalogue of violence and abuse; emotional, physical and sexual abuse.

“The abuse was often fuelled by the defendant’s use of drugs; at first cocaine and later steroids, and lasted many years, turning Kirsty Screene from the happy, confident young woman that she had been, into a terrified, humiliated and powerless individual, unable to escape or to tell anyone about the full extent of what was taking place in her own home.”

Now Miss Screene has waived her right to anonymity to warn others of the dangers of being abused and to encourage others to speak out.

Speaking following the sentencing, she said: “I was scared. I didn’t have family or friends in Maidstone and I wasn’t allowed to work.

"It lasted 11 years and I still get nightmares, flashbacks and panic attacks. He has ruined my life but I can’t give up for the sake of my kids.

“I just want to help other people by speaking out now. I don’t want anyone else to go through what I did.”

Flimwell has now been jailed for a total of 23 years after being found guilty at Canterbury Crown Court of 30 rape, sex abuse, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice.

The judge in the case, Recorder Mark Van Der Zwart commended Det Constable Natalie Davidson and civilian investigator Nicola Brown for their “exemplary” detective work, in bringing Taylor to justice.

He added: “They have shown the highest standards of care and performed their duties in an exemplary way in the way they investigated and prosecuted this case.”