The victim of a horrific camping trip assault fears that her attacker will be out of prison by September.

She has hit out at the length of the sentences handed down in domestic violence cases.

Repeat offender Shaun Bignell was jailed for three years for domestic abuse, assaulting a police officer, criminal damage and breaching a suspended sentence.

Bignell punched and throttled his then partner after an argument broke out during a camping trip to the Point of Ayre last August.

His victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, told Isle of Man Today: ‘Recent sentences given in these horrific cases may actually deter victims from reporting or seeing it through court.

‘Shaun Bignell could be out in September - I’m really concerned about him coming out so soon.

‘The courts have the evidence of physical violence used that could kill or seriously brain damage the person, along with threats to kill during the violence, and the sentence in minimal. In comparison, drug dealers receive far higher sentences.

‘Victims are left with traumas like PTSD - scared to walk in the dark, jumping at the smallest of noises and always looking over their shoulder worrying if the person is there and going to attack them again.

‘The offender gets to come out in minimum time to live their life whilst the victim will suffer for many years to come before they can feel safe in their own home or town again. ‘

The Court of General Gaol Delivery heard that Bignell, 35, of Close Ollay, Ramsey, had left his victim suffering flashbacks and regular nightmares.

She believed she had blacked out following the initial assault. She then attempted to drive to safety, while keeping her attacker calm, only for her campervan to get stuck in the sand.

Having been towed out, they drove to Ramsey and the defendant threatened further violence, warning the woman that if she got out the vehicle, her son wouldn’t have a mother.

Once parked up in Ramsey, she tried to call 999 but the call was on speaker phone and her attacker used the Bluetooth speaker to smash the campervan’s windscreen.

She escaped and ran towards the fire station calling 999, but he chased after her, grabbed her phone and threw it through the fire station’s roller shutters, smashing a window.

Sentencing took place the same day of a second domestic violence case when the victim was in court to see her attacker jailed for 42 months.

She had received no fewer than 20 injuries at the hands of her then fiancé Michael Ashton during an ordeal that lasted two hours.

The victim of the camping trip attack said: ‘Something needs to change with regards to sentencing for domestic abuse/violence.

‘I want to help make changes for domestic violence victims; I want them to know they are not alone. But at this stage, I do not feel I could ever reassure a victim that the offender would get enough time to enable the victim to work through their fears and traumas before the offender is released.