CONTENT WARNING: domestic abuse
A woman has been scarred for life after a brutal attack by her “controlling” ex-boyfriend in a hotel room.
Jordana Rutherford, 20, from West Lothian, Scotland, was just 17 when William Weir, 22, knocked her unconscious during the vicious assault at a hotel in Glasgow in November 2019.
The two were staying in the city overnight after attending a concert but had argued upon returning to the hotel.
Jordana confronted her now ex-partner after spotting him cosying up to another woman at the show, and a “very drunk” Weir turned on her.
“We were arguing and I tried to take his shoes off because he was too drunk to do it himself when he kicked me in the stomach,” Jordana told Jam Press.
“I fell backwards near the door and then he came and grabbed my hair and slapped me in the face.
“I knew he had a temper and he had laid hands on me before, but it had never been like this.
“I was terrified. I knew he had a temper and in that moment I became worried for my safety.”
Jordana lost consciousness and awoke some time later to find the room full of police officers and paramedics.
Other guests had heard her screams and called for help.
By the time Jordana came round, she was covered in blood, with a large gash on her head bleeding profusely.
She said: “I had no idea what had happened and it took a moment to remember that we had argued, so at first I just wanted to see my boyfriend.
“To realise it was my boyfriend that had done this to me was awful – and that he’d left me to bleed.”
Police explained Weir had tried to run, but they had caught him just outside the hotel and arrested him.
Jordana was taken to hospital and kept overnight while they treated her wounds.
The cut to her head was described as “too clean” for it to have been caused by her fall – leading to concerns she had been sliced with something while unconscious.
Weir, who Jordana had been with for two years prior to the attack, was found guilty of assault at Glasgow Sheriff Court on 3 March.
He was charged with pushing Jordana, pulling her hair and striking her on the head, causing her to lose consciousness, her injury and permanent disfigurement.
Jordana has been left with a “massive” scar on her head.
She said: “It’s a horrible reminder of what happened that night.
“I used to be confident about going out without makeup but now I can’t – I feel like everyone stares at me.
“I suffer with panic attacks and nine nights out of 10 I wake up from a nightmare about what happened.
“I can’t ever go in a hotel – my head just won’t let me set foot in one.
“It should have just been a nice date night.”
Weir was released on bail while awaiting sentencing on 4 April.
Jordana said: “Life has been on hold, it’s been a horrible time – he seemed to have a great couple of years of freedom while I had to keep quiet until the court case was done.
“I couldn’t move on and was called a liar – I think people in his life were in denial.
“Now, I feel a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
“I don’t feel like whatever his sentence is will ever come close to how he has made me feel these past few years – it will never be enough.”
Jordana now hopes sharing her story will help other victims come forward – and notice the warning signs.
She said: “Looking back, it was a really toxic and controlling relationship.
“We argued a lot and he had laid hands on me before, but it was not to the extent that I would have actually reported it – until it turned extreme.
“I don’t want that to ever happen to anyone else.”
