The rape victim who suffered years of violence at the hands of Thomas O'Connor has told how she now feels free of his terror.

O'Connor faces a long prison sentence after being found guilty of raping the 29-year-old woman on four separate occasions, indecently assaulting her twice and threatening to kill her.

After the verdict was given the shocked jury was told 30-year-old O'Connor stabbed to death his bullying father in 1985 at Clayburn Circle in Basildon.

The woman, who cannot be identified, said she felt "free" after hearing her O'Connor had been found guilty of four rapes, two indecent assaults and one threat to kill charge.

She said: "I feel free. I feel that me and my kids can carry on with our lives now."

The mother-of-two was subjected to sickening rapes which included bondage.

On one occasion she was taken to hospital because she was so badly hurt.

Eventually she ran away to a woman's refuge and the police were contacted.

At the trial she broke down repeatedly in the witness box.

She said she was petrified of O'Connor, who sat in the dock watching her give her evidence.

The victim, who has undergone counselling, said: "I was very, very scared.

"Thomas controlled me for so long but I knew I had to do this to be free.

"Speaking about it brings it all back and I just want to forget about it."

During their eight-year relationship, which began when she met O'Connor in Long Riding pub, the woman moved house several times in an attempt to escape him.

Every time the determined rapist would seek her out, even after he came out of prison after being sentenced to six years in 1992 for robbing two Laindon Centre greengrocers of £1,360. He served three years in prison.

During the seven-day trial the jury was told how O'Connor gagged, blindfolded and bound her hands behind her back.

O'Connor once told his victim: "I like it when you cry. It excites me."

She said: "I actually felt safer if he was with me.

"He used to follow me and the kids out to the shops and used to break into my house through the windows.

"I would run downstairs so he wouldn't wake the kids and he would be drunk.

"He would rant, rave and threaten.

"I used to have to put up with it until he fell asleep.

"When I first met him, he was normal.

"He was quite a laugh."

The blonde victim was praised by police for her bravery in the witness box.

When the woman gave her evidence she had to face Thomas and his three brothers in the dock.

Jason O'Connor, 26, of Brooke House, Basildon, was found not guilty of raping and indecently assaulting the woman.

Robert, 29, was cleared earlier in the trial of rape while Christopher O'Connor, 25 was cleared of indecently assaulting the same woman.

The victim, said: "I want to forget it now, but I just want to say thank you to all the people who have helped me.

"If anyone else is going through this I want them to know that they don't have to."

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