Hairdresser reveals how crying mother-of-two ‘collapsed into her arms’ as she described how her violent boyfriend was stalking her – weeks before he battered her to death
- Hairdresser Annie Riley, from Norwich, appeared on Lorraine earlier today
- She revealed how mother-of-two Kerri McAuley, 32, told her of domestic abuse
- Said she ‘collapsed in her arms’ as she described being stalked by boyfriend
- Weeks later, career thug Joe Storey, 28, murdered Kerri in January 2017
- Had previously attacked five exes and had three restraining orders against him
A hairdresser has revealed how mother-of-two ‘collapsed into her arms’ and wept as she described how her violent boyfriend was stalking her – weeks before he battered her to death.
Stylist Annie Riley, from Norwich, appeared on Lorraine today and explained how Kerri McAuley broke down during an appointment in January 2017 and revealed her partner Joe Storey, 28, was stalking her.
Weeks later, he murdered the 32-year-old before smearing her blood on his face, taking a selfie and leaving her to die. She suffered 19 injuries to her head and face during the savage attack.
Annie said the mother-of-two arrived at her appointment and burst into tears, revealing: ‘Kerri explained in detail about what happened during that attack and it wasn’t nice to hear. It was distressing to say the least.’
A hairdresser has revealed how mother-of-two Kerri McAuley, from Norwich ‘collapsed into her arms’ and wept as she described how her violent boyfriend Joe Storey, 28, was stalking her – weeks before he battered her to death (pictured)
She publicly posted graphic pictures of her injuries caused by Storey, saying he had left her with ‘a broken cheek bone and a broken heart’
The hairdresser explained: ‘I’d been seeing Kerri for nine months and it was sort of towards the end before she was sadly taken that Kerri opened up to me.
‘She was a beautiful young lady, everything to live for, fabulous friends and great family. She was just an amazing person.
‘She was the type of girl who didn’t talk about her her business, we just had fun and a laugh. The typical banter between hairdresser and client.
‘It wasn’t until a couple of weeks before her murder, that I learned she was a victim o domestic violence.’
Storey was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 24 years for murdering Kerri in the horrific attack which left her skull ‘like a mosaic’ of bone fragments
Annie revealed: ‘She had cancelled an appointment saying she had been in hospital all night and I said book in when you’re better.
‘Two days later she posted pictures on social media of a very nasty bruise and swollen eye.
‘Needless to say, I was completely shocked because she didn’t show any signs of being in a domestically violent relationship.’
She continued: ‘A couple of days later, she rebooked with me. It was a Friday and it was very wet and very rainy.
Stylist Annie Riley appeared on Lorraine today and explained how Kerri broke down during an appointment in January 2017 and revealed her partner Storey was stalking her
‘When I opened up the door to her, she just basically collapsed into my arms crying which I was quite shocked at because we didn’t have that type of relationship. Like I said, we more bantered.
‘Through the appointment, she said he was stalking her on social media, anything he could get hold of her.
‘She was concerned about emails and how she could stop them. I advised she just spam and ignore them.’
Annie said friends and family continued trying to support Kerri in the weeks up to her death, revealing: ‘Her mum was aware – obviously because she had moved back in with her mum and had done everything she could to escape her abuser.
The mother-of-two was murdered by Storey six months after she endured four hours of being attacked and locked away. In this first attack, in July 2016, she escaped through a window wearing only her underwear
‘Her mum had done everything she could to help Kerri, but she wanted to go back home and live her life again.
‘Sadly, when she was back home and vulnerable he managed to get at her again.’
The mother-of-two was murdered by Storey six months after she endured four hours of being attacked and locked away. In this first attack, in July 2016, she escaped through a window wearing only her underwear.
She told police she feared Storey would kill her during the attack. She later told a friend ‘I know he is going to kill me’.
She told police she feared Storey would kill her during an attack in July 2016. She later told a friend ‘I know he is going to kill me’ (pictured together on holiday)
The pair took a romantic trip away to Rome that summer, and during the trip, the pair posted selfies of themselves in front of the Trevi Fountain and a video of them enjoying a candle-lit meal in an Italian square.
It is thought the city break was a gift from Storey who also lavished Ms McAuley with champagne, flowers and perfume.
She found the courage to walk away from her 18-month on-off relationship in November with violent Storey. and told friends she felt ‘stronger than ever’ and was ‘on the end’.
She publicly posted graphic pictures of her injuries caused by Storey, writing: ‘My ex, who claims he loves me, beat and suffocated me until I almost passed out.’
Less than a fortnight after the split, Ms McAuley appeared to be enjoying the single life as she visited a nail bar with a friend
Timeline of Storey’s crimes
July 2016 – The mother-of-two endured four hours of being attacked and locked away. She escaped through a window wearing only her underwear.
Summer 2016 – Pair travelled to Rome for a romantic holiday away
November 2016 – Kerri left Storey and posted on Facebook about his violent behaviour.
She shared social media posts suggesting she was ‘getting back to being pretty’
January 2017 – Kerri opens up to Annie about Storey’s harassment
Weeks later, she was bludgeoned to death in her flat
2017 – Storey was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 24 years for murdering Kerri in the horrific attack.
November 2018 – A report found the thug was left free to batter Keri to death despite being prosecuted for attacking her a year before and having three restraining orders against him from other ex-girlfriends.
‘It has left me with a broken cheek and a broken heart. It’s out there now and maybe I can now move on.’
Less than a fortnight after the split, Kerri appeared to be enjoying the single life as she visited a nail bar with a friend.
She publicly wrote: ‘Getting back to pretty. Onwards and upwards.’
On the night of her death, the pair went bowling and out for dinner before drinking at pubs in Norwich.
They were spotted arguing before they returned to Ms McAuley’s flat where bloodied footprints and splatters were later found.
She was bludgeoned to death in her flat after falling victim to Storey’s temper for the final time.
The mother’s body was discovered at her flat when her ex-partner and the father of her two boys became concerned he could not contact her.
He contacted her mother Lesley used her spare key to let herself in but found her daughter lifeless on the floor alongside a bloodied mattress.
She was found with a tie wrapped around her neck following the ‘brutal and sustained attack’.
Following the mother’s tragic death, neighbours described hearing her ‘screaming for help’ at the flat she shared with her two young sons Blake and Riley in Norwich.
Prosecutor Simon Spence told the jury how Storey had previously assaulted Ms McAuley on at least two other occasions before her death.
He once headbutted her during a night out and broke her jaw on other occasion, leaving her hospitalised.
Mr Spence described this as ‘a sight that will no doubt haunt them for the rest of their lives.’
Appearing on the programme today, Annie said she was ‘completely shocked’ by the photographs of Keri shared online because she hadn’t shown any signs she was in a violent relationship
Pathologist Ben Smith described Kerri’s skull as ‘almost a mosaic of small fractured pieces of bone’.
Police tracked Storey to his friend’s flat where they arrested him on suspicion of murder after finding him wearing a shirt which was ‘covered with blood’.
The court heard ‘literally thousands’ of text messages were found on Storey’s phone which ‘showed a relationship in which Kerri was was trying to keep away from the defendant.’
Annie said Kerri explained in detail about what happened during attacks in the weeks before her death and said it was ‘distressing’
The 32-year-old suffered 19 injuries to her head and face during the savage attack
Women’s Aid warns perpetrators manipulate Covid-19 restrictions to increase their control over their victims
Earlier this year, a Women’s Aid campaigner warned domestic abuse cases could surge during the national lockdown because perpetrators use the restrictions to ‘create real barriers’ and increase their control over their victims.
Lucy Hadley, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Women’s Aid, described how the restrictions last year had ‘stopped victims from accessing the support’ they needed and enabled abusers to isolate them.
The charity, which found 78 per cent of women had found it more difficult to leave their toxic relationships in June last year, expected there to be a spike in victims separating from their abusers after the lockdown finally comes to an end.
Figures last year from a Women’s Aid report found that 91 per cent of respondents experiencing domestic abuse said that the pandemic had negatively impacted them in at least one way.
In one sent by Ms McAuley to Storey, she wrote: ‘I deserve far better than you, a dirty, lying cheat of a woman beater. You’re a coward.
‘You’ve broken my face. I could have another you in a heart-beat, one that doesn’t break my bones.
‘There is only so many beatings a girl can take before they walk away.’
She also told Storey she had ‘put up with so much’ and insisted there was ‘only so much I can take’ adding ‘I feel broken inside’.
During the exchanges Storey insisted he was ‘so, so sorry’ for occasions he had ‘Just flipped’ and ‘lost it’.
He added: ‘I just flipped and lost it. I will never kill you, will I’.
Jurors took just an hour to find Storey unanimously guilty of murdering her on January 7 2017.
Storey was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 24 years for murdering Kerri in the horrific attack.
In November 2018, a report found the thug was left free to batter Keri to death despite being prosecuted for attacking her a year before and having three restraining orders against him from other ex-girlfriends.
The report, by the Norfolk County Community Safety Partnership, found Storey violently attacked five previous girlfriends as far back as 2008, and at the time of the murder had three restraining orders to protect former partners.
A risk assessment by probation services in 2008, when Storey was 18, found he had ‘the potential to inflict fatal harm upon his partner and unborn child’.
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