Woman reveals teenage sweetheart 'wished death on her' during attack

July 6, 2022

Woman who reunited with her teenage sweetheart reveals how he told her ‘I wish death on you’ as he punched and strangled her – despite never being violent during their four-year relationship

Benjamin Rumfitt, 40, strangled and punched his girlfriend in unprovoked attack
He unleashed the assault on Faye Matthews in the early hours of New Year’s Day
She suffered a broken eye socket and severe bruising and spent time in hospital
At Leeds Crown Court last week Ben pleaded guilty to wounding with intent
Ben, who had received anger management, was jailed for nearly three years

A woman has revealed how her partner who had never been violent before strangled, punched her and pressed his thumbs into her eye sockets in an unprovoked New Year’s assault.

Benjamin Rumfitt, 40, unleashed a horrific attack on Faye Matthews, 36, during the early hours of New Year’s Day this year in Armley, Leeds.

She suffered a broken eye socket and severe bruising and spent New Year’s Day in hospital.

Mum-of-two Faye, 36, said: ‘ ‘The attack came completely out of the blue, just minutes after the midnight countdown, and I thought he would kill me.’

She said that she wants to warn other women at risk of domestic violence because although he had a temper, Benjamin had never attacked her before.

‘My advice to other women would be to check out the man you’re dating. Make sure he is safe. A quick search on google could save your life,’ she said.

Benjamin Rumfitt, 40, unleashed a horrific attack on Faye Matthews during the early hours of New Year’s Day this year in Armley, Leeds

On Christmas Day 2021, the couple had marked their four-year anniversary together and on New Year’s Eve, the family enjoyed a lovely day celebrating Faye’s daughter’s seventh birthday.

She said: ‘Christmas was a special time for us. Christmas Day was our first date and New Year was my daughter’s birthday.’

The couple first met as teenagers when they worked at Morrisons supermarket.

Five years ago, they found themselves single, and hooked up again on social media. Their first date was Christmas Day 2017.

Faye suffered a broken eye socket and severe bruising and spent New Year’s Day in hospital after the attack

Five years ago, they found themselves single, and hooked up again on social media. Their first date was Christmas Day 2017

Her eye socket was completely swollen and she had scratches all over her face from Ben’s brutal assault

Faye, a hospital worker, says: ‘My two children were visiting their dad in the afternoon and so when Ben messaged, I invited him over.

‘We had a Christmas drink together and it was lovely. We really clicked.’

Their relationship became serious and one year on, they moved in together.

Faye says: ‘It was going well between us. Ben could be a bit too intense, a bit of a worrier. We had our ups and downs but our relationship was good.’

But by the end of 2021, Ben was becoming increasingly stressed. Faye and Ben celebrated Christmas 2021 – and their anniversary – together with her children.

Faye has documented the painful bruises on her back after her ex partner unleashed a horrific attack

Faye explained that he put his arms around her neck and began squeezing tighter and tighter, she documented the bruising on her neck

Faye explained how Ben pulled her to the ground and punched her over and over in the face leaving her with severe swelling and bruising (left). Ben (right) appeared at Leeds Crown Court last week and pleaded guilty to wounding with intent. He was jailed for two years and 10 months

On New Year’s Eve, Faye held a party for her daughter’s 7th birthday at a trampoline park. Afterwards, the children went for a sleepover and the couple went out.

Faye said: ‘We went to Nandos and got some beers, and we were in really high spirits. We went home and watched TV.

‘Just before the countdown, Ben nipped to the loo, and we missed our midnight kiss. He reappeared about ten minutes later and he seemed really agitated.

He said: ”If we split up, you will meet someone else really quickly, I know it.” I was taken aback; it was out of the blue. We were perfectly happy together.

‘I thought he was being ridiculous, then he said: ”I wish death on you.” Again, I brushed it off and told him to shut up. But he was becoming angry, and I suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

The couple first met as teenagers when they worked at Morrisons supermarket and they reconnected years later

On Christmas Day, the couple had celebrated their four-year anniversary together and seemed in great spirits

‘He was very close to me on the sofa, and I could hear his breathing getting louder and louder.

‘He put his arms around my neck and began squeezing tighter and tighter.

‘I couldn’t breathe. I was choking and I could taste blood. He pulled me to the ground and punched me over and over in the face. I thought he was going to kill me.

‘He punched me 10 times and I was pleading with him to stop. I begged him to let me see my children again.

‘He stopped for a moment, and I took my chance and ran from the house.

‘I was screaming for help in the garden, and he came after me and attacked me again, pressing his thumbs into my eyes and gouging. The pain was horrendous.

Faye held a party for her daughter’s 7th birthday and afterwards, the children went for a sleepover and the couple went out

Just before the attack she said he was very close to her on the sofa, and she could hear his breathing getting louder and louder

Faye and Ben celebrated Christmas 2021 – and their anniversary – together with her children (Faye pictured with her children on Christmas Day)

‘Ben stopped briefly to call his mum. I could feel my face swelling and my eyes were closed.’

Ben rang his mother and told her he was going to kill himself and Faye.

Terrified Faye had climbed onto a neighbour’s outhouse, afraid he would kill her.

Ben’s mother rang back and Faye answered the call secretly on her watch and asked her to call 999. Ben was arrested soon after.

Faye had a broken eye socket and was also badly cut and bruised.

She says: ‘It was awful having to face the kids the day after, I tried telling them I had Covid, but my face was such a mess.

Hours before the attack on New Year’s Eve, Faye’s daughter had celebrated her seventh birthday, and the family had enjoyed a lovely day

On Christmas Day, the couple were in great spirits and had celebrated their four-year anniversary together

Faye said they went to Nandos and got some beers, and they were in really high spirits before the attack

They were relaxin on the sofa watching TV just before the countdown, when Ben nipped to the loo, and they missed their midnight kiss

‘It was New Year’s Day, it was supposed to be a celebration, and I felt at rock bottom.

‘I couldn’t drive for two weeks, I had no feeling in one side of my face, I had lots of hospital appointments for my eye socket. It was just awful.’

Ben appeared at Leeds Crown Court last week and pleaded guilty to wounding with intent. He was jailed for two years and 10 months.

The court heard that Ben suffered a serious brain injury in 2010, which had made him prone to bouts of emotional instability.

It was added that he had previously been receiving anger management courses, which he had found helpful, but they had been discontinued due to a lack of funding.

Faye says: ‘I feel disappointed with the sentencing, but I will put it behind me. I won’t let him ruin this Christmas. I am looking to the future now.’