A MUM has bravely revealed how she was just six minutes from death after her evil ex held her underwater in a brutal attack at the side of the road.
Liam Dawson tortured Lori Reddyhoff over several hours after crashing his car into a metal fence near a park.
The monster dragged his partner of eight months from the vehicle by her hair and punched her up to 20 times.
He also slammed the door on her face and held her body and head under sewage water nearby.
Terrified Lori believed she would die in the attack and was knocked unconscious at one point.
When she came to, twisted Dawson, 34, was defecating on her face.
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Lori has now bravely opened up about the horror after Dawson was jailed for 15 years and three months, with an extended licence period of four years.
She also shared harrowing pictures of her injuries, including shocking bruising to her face and body.
The healthcare worker, from Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, said: “He abused me for hours on end. The police said I was six minutes away from losing my life.
“He crashed the car and down the side of the car was a brook. He held my head under the water.
“[Dawson] dragged me up off out of the water and smacked me in the face with the car door four times.
“He then dragged me into the ditch and sat on me and kicked me in the head.
“He sat on me and pooed on me and rubbed it in my face.
“The man who heard my screams to this day I say he saved my life.
“Mentally I don’t think I’ll ever get over it.”
Lori first met Dawson in 2022 and the pair were “best friends” before they decided to start a relationship in October 2024.
She said he was “happy go lucky” and their relationship became serious “very quickly”.
Lori added: “We just really clicked and really got on.
“If I’m ever in a relationship they have to be my best friend and Liam was.”
Lori was aware Dawson had 16 previous convictions but said she “never saw that side of him”.
However, after returning from a New Year’s trip to Morocco where Dawson proposed, the relationship turned violent.
On May 11, 2025, Lori, Dawson and her youngest daughter went for a meal and stayed at a Holiday Inn hotel for the night.
Dawson and Lori later went to a bar where the thug drank heavily and shouted at his partner when they returned to the hotel.
He then drove them back to a bar before heading to an Ibis hotel and then towards Uttoxeter.
Prosecutor Robert Holt said during his trial: “[Dawson] was driving erratically. He was driving on the wrong side of cones, trying to smash the car with her in it.”
Dawson then began hurling abuse at Lori before accusing her of cheating on him and crashing into the fence.
He hit the mum up to 20 times in the face and head and took her phone and threw it into a brook.
Dawson then told Lori “F*** you, you are getting into the water as well” before threatening to kill her.
He dragged her into the brook and forcefully held her head under the water.
Lori said: “I thought if I don’t shout or scream I’m going to die.
“I thought, I’ve got three kids to look after.”
Thankfully, a local heard her terrified screams and called the police.
During his sentencing hearing, Dawson was seen vaping and laughing on videolink from HMP Dovegate as brave Lori told her story.
Domestic abuse – how to get help
DOMESTIC abuse can affect anyone – including men – and does not always involve physical violence.
Here are some signs that you could be in an abusive relationship:
- Emotional abuse – Including being belittled, blamed for the abuse – gaslighting – being isolated from family and friends, having no control over your finances, what you where and who you speak to
- Threats and intimidation – Some partners might threaten to kill or hurt you, destroy your belongings, stalk or harass you
- Physical abuse – This can range from slapping or hitting to being shoved over, choked or bitten.
- Sexual abuse – Being touched in a way you do not want to be touched, hurt during sex, pressured into sex or forced to have sex when you do not consent.
If any of the above apply to you or a friend, you can call these numbers:
Remember, you are not alone.
1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience domestic abuse over the course of their lifetime.
Every 30 seconds the police receive a call for help relating to domestic abuse.
The mum is now trying to move on but said the horror ordeal left her “completely changed”.
She revealed how she has now installed cameras in her home for security and cannot socialise or even go out past 4pm anymore.
Lori added: “I’m not like that really, usually I’m a confident person.
“I started counselling after the trial.
“I’ve got a really good mum and dad. My house is beautiful and my kids are brilliant.
“I have brought it all the way to trial and I hope and pray he doesn’t do it to anyone else’s daughter.”