Woman strangled by ex criticises police support

A woman who was strangled by her former partner, while her five-year-old daughter slept next door, has called for Guernsey Police to do more to support victims.

Alice - not her real name - was left "black and blue" after a vicious assault by Adrian Dodd, where she was told "she wouldn't make it through the night" as he beat her around the head.

On 6 February, 28-year-old Adrian Dodd was sentenced to three years in prison for the attack - after admitting five counts of assault and domestic abuse in Guernsey's Royal Court.

For Alice, the trauma of that night continues as she tries to rebuild her life and her experience with the police has left her unlikely to ever rely on the force for support again.

"He constantly told me that I wasn't going to make it through to the morning.

"He held me hostage, eight, nine hours that went on.

"I was petrified, more for my daughter next door."

After being in an on and off relationship with Dodd for a couple of years, Alice split up with him more than two years ago.

During their relationship, Dodd showed he had violent tendencies, punching walls and damaging belongings.

Alice said: "I just didn't really see it to start with for quite a few years and just made excuses for it."

On the night of the attack, Dodd barged into her house, as her daughter slept in a room upstairs.

"He pushed me and launched me across my kitchen, he knew I wouldn't be able to get him out.

"His eyes, I didn't recognise him, he was frothing at the mouth."

Dodd kept Alice hostage overnight, constantly telling her she would not make it through to the next day, while beating and tormenting her.

Eventually, in the morning, he left and a few hours later, Alice phoned her mum and then reported the incident to Guernsey Police.

Officers arrested Dodd on 9 July last year, before charging him on 28 July. In the interim he was on police bail.

Alice said despite the bail conditions, she did not feel safe: "There was nothing I could do.

"They said they could they put alarms on my doors but like I said to them he would do what he needed to do before they'd get there.

"I couldn't go home for about a week. I didn't want to even step foot into the house really, so I stayed at a family member's house, which made me feel a bit better.

"I didn't want to go out, I didn't want to be in public, I didn't want to go certain places, I just became a shell of myself really for quite a while."

In 2024, Guernsey's States voted to approve new domestic abuse laws, with the aim of "protecting and empowering victims".

Alice said when officers from Guernsey Police spoke to her they appeared to lack confidence in the application of these new laws introduced in June 2025.

She said: "She didn't really have much understanding. She didn't know anything about this new domestic violence law, so they were kind of having to read up on it on some bits of paper whilst they were interviewing me."

Dodd was one of the first people prosecuted under these new laws.

As the case went on, Alice said there was a lack of communication from police.

"In a time where I needed guidance and support and comfort, I wasn't really offered that from the services that were involved," she said.

Alice found she was passed from officer to officer whenever she sought an update on how her case was progressing.

In a statement, Guernsey Police said they were sorry Alice felt there were issues with the investigation and she had their sympathies.

"The impact perpetrators of domestic abuse have on their victims cannot be over-stated," said the force.

They added this was a complex investigation, which resulted in a successful prosecution.

Like Lucy Domaille, who was a victim of vouyeurism, Alice was also invited to the police station for a voluntary interview after the BBC contacted police for comment.

Guernsey Police said: "Senior officers have now met with both victims to listen to their concerns and talk them through the processes which were undertaken.

"We hope they found those meetings useful, and we are sorry that they felt there were issues with the investigations.

"We have taken their feedback on board. Guernsey Police is a learning organisation, constantly reviewing our processes and approaches following feedback from both staff and members of the public."

Alice was also critical of the sentence received by Dodd following his conviction.

"How is that justice, when the survivor has to live with it forever and he just does a couple years?

"I was told 15 to 22 years, then suddenly on the day, three years. It was a letdown."

Of her experience with the force, Alice said: "I've completely lost faith and trust in them now. I don't think I'd easily go to them for help again."

She is anxious about what will happen after Dodd is released.

Alice said: "I feel quite let down with the professionals and the system.

"I'm mentally preparing to be harassed by him when he comes out or seeing him different places. I think he won't ever stop.

"Three years isn't really long enough for me to kind of heal myself thoroughly whilst trying to then sort out the future as well."

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this story, help and support is available at BBC Action Line.

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