A MUM was left with horror injuries after being battered and left for dead by her ex-soldier boyfriend.

Jessica Bowes had every bone in her face broken by her ex Jonathan McSherry who savagely attacked her as she arrived back home after a Christmas party.

The brute repeatedly punched and kicked terrified Jessica after breaching a restraining order banning him from going to her house in Dublin on December 2015.

He continued to batter her even after she lost consciousness twice and Jessica only managed to escape after hiding under a neighbour's car.

Despite the brutal attack, McSherry served just 22 months of his a three-and-a-half-year sentence.

The brave mum-of-two has now waived her anonymity to open up about her horror ordeal as she slammed his soft sentence.

'I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED'

She told RSVP Live: "I remember sitting in the court room looking at his reaction to the CCTV footage.

"He didn’t watch it, he looked at the ceiling.

"Then the judge handed down her sentence, and I just thought 'That’s it. He will be out in two years.'

"I was so disappointed, and I knew in that moment that I’d never be able to just accept that.

"I wanted to get my message out that the court system treats domestic violence cases with a greater leniency than random assaults, and that can’t continue."

Jessica had arrived home in a taxi when she was pounced on by the former squaddie, who had been hiding in her garden.

HORROR ORDEAL

Recalling the horror, she said: "I lost consciousness twice and he continued to kick and punch me even while I was lying on the ground."

After the vicious attack, Jessica was unable to fully close her lips and she had a permanent metal plate inserted through her mouth to align her facial bones.

She also showed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic anxiety, and suffers nightmares still.

Jessica was also described by psychologists as severely damaged and vulnerable.

But the mum refuses to be a victim and insists her life has changed for the better.

She said: "It’s made me stronger actually. I will never allow anyone to hurt me like that ever again. It has changed me in a good way.

"I want to go back to college in September. I have been looking at Social Science courses because I would love the chance to apply my own life experiences to my work .

"I want to help as many women and children as I can and just keep moving forward."

Jessica, who was awarded £128,534 (€150,000) in damages, says her two young daughters were also a reason to speak out.

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