A man named Lee Lewis punched the mother of his child, Desiree Joseph, 30 times in the face after threatening to kill her. He got angry when she said she would stop letting him see their baby if he kept questioning her about childcare. This happened at her home in South London on March 15.
The attack left Ms. Joseph in the hospital with a broken nose, a cut on her face that needed stitches, and bald patches where her hair was pulled out. When the police arrived at her home, they saw blood on the baby’s crib, clumps of her hair on the floor, and bloody fingerprints on the door.
Lewis, a 43-year-old truck driver from Basildon, Essex, had been with Ms. Joseph for over two years, but they broke up after their baby was born. Ms. Joseph still allowed him to visit and sleep on her sofa between his long driving shifts.
On the day of the attack, they went out for lunch and a drink. When they got home, Lewis wanted to talk about their relationship, but Ms. Joseph didn’t want to. She went to her bedroom, but Lewis kept coming in and being aggressive.
She asked him to leave and threatened to call the police. When she warned him he might not see his son if he kept acting this way, he threatened to kill her and then started punching her.
Ms. Joseph recalled 20 to 30 punches to her face, saying she was scared for her life and thought he would never stop. After the attack, she grabbed her son and went outside for help. Neighbors saw her covered in blood and called the police and an ambulance.
Lewis later turned himself in to the police. He admitted to the attack but didn’t comment further. Ms. Joseph described the severe impact of the assault, including her injuries and the cost of replacing bloodstained carpets. She no longer feels safe in her home of 17 years and is thinking of moving.
She also mentioned the strain on their family, saying she now has to be a single parent and hasn’t told her family about the incident due to fear of judgment. She has received no support from Lewis since the attack, which has completely changed her circumstances.
