My sadistic ex gouged my eyes out in horrifying 12-hour attack – now he’s being freed & I’m told to feel SORRY for him
A SADISTIC thug who gouged his ex-girlfriend’s eyes out during a 12-hour attack is now being freed from jail.
Mum-of-two Tina Nash, 44, was permanently blinded by her ex Shane Jenkin, 46, on April 20, 2011.
Tina, from Penzance, Cornwall said she has been living in constant fear after discovering her ex will soon be freed.
Jenkin was moved to an open prison two weeks ago – meaning he will be able to stroll the streets unsupervised, seek work and education and visit family as early as summer.
Tina told MailOnline: “I’m terrified. He could be stood right behind me in a shop and I wouldn’t have a clue because he blinded me.
“I know he wishes he’d killed me that night because then there would have been no witnesses and I couldn’t speak out. I still live in Penzance, I’m a sitting duck.”
The night before Jenkin carried out his heinous attack, he had watched an eye-gouging scene in the zombie movie 28 Weeks Later.
Jenkin then started attacking Tina while she slept in her bed.
He subjected her to a 12-hour attack, where he broke her jaw, throttled her until she was unconscious, and blinded her by gouging out her eyes.
Tina’s sons, then aged 13 and three, were sleeping in the same house at the time.
When Tina touched her face, she felt her eye hanging out of its socket.
Despite several operations over the course of four weeks, surgeons couldn’t save her eyes.
Tina said: “I’m the one serving a life sentence, not him – I’ll never see my children’s faces again, and he’s being given his freedom back.
Jenkin was sentenced to a minimum of six years in 2012 and since failed parole seven times.
This case was one of the worst instances of domestic abuse the UK has ever learned, Truro Crown Court heard.
Rumours have circulated that Jenkin has doubled in size since arriving in prison, Tina explained.
She fears this could make him even more powerful.
The decision to release Jenkin was ratified by the secretary of state, Tina said.
However, she wasn’t allowed to appeal this decision before 21 days.
Tina said she feels deeply let down by the justice system after being assured her ex would be locked away for many many years.
What are your rights if your attacker is released from jail?
If your attacker has been given a custodial sentence of at least 12 months or detained under the Mental Health Act 1983, you have the right to join the Victim Contact Scheme.
The scheme entitles you to be told if the offender has moved to an open prison or if they are being considered for release.
You can also ask for additional conditions that the offender must follow when they come out of prison, including outling exclusion zones in your area.
After the trial, you will be sent a letter asking if you want to join by your local Victim Liaison Unit.
You can also contact vcsenquiries@justice.gov.uk about joining the scheme.
The scheme will not give out details of an offender’s location after release.
She rarely leaves her home – at one point, she didn’t leave her bedroom for six months.
Now Tina has launched a GoFundMe page to help pay for security upgrades to keep her safe.
She doesn’t feel she can rely on authorities so is taking matters into her own hands.
Tina has also started a petition against his release which has been signed by over 11,000 people.
But instead of applauding her efforts to raise awareness, Tina claims probation chiefs have criticised her for speaking out.
One asked her “don’t you feel sorry for him, putting this on his head?”, she revealed.
But Tina won’t allow this opinion to silence her.
The Probation Service is currently investigating Tina’s complaint about the comment and the staff member involved has allegedly denied the claim.
Contact between Tina and The Probation Service has reportedly ceased since this time.
Inmates at Category D prisons are considered “low risk” and usually have their own keys.
They are allowed to spend days away from the prison and if desired, take part in educational, vocational and work programmes.
THE TRIAL AND FAILED PAROLE ATTEMPT
At Jenkin’s trial in 2012, Tina told the court of her heartache at knowing she will never see her two sons again.
Losing her sight felt like being buried alive, she said.
Jenkin, who at the time was being held at a maximum security prison, had spent time in a psychiatric unit.
When Jenkin failed parole in 2022, the Board decided he was still too dangerous to be released and had to stay in prison for at least two more years.
In a written summary of its decision, the Parole Board said a psychologist had completed an assessment on Jenkin and presented the findings to the panel.
“The psychologist, Mr Jenkin’s probation officer in the community, and the official supervising his case in custody, all recommended that he remain in prison.
“None of them supported transfer to open conditions.”
It concluded: “The panel considered that Mr Jenkin was appropriately located in custody where outstanding levels of risk could be addressed.
Prior to this sadistic attack, Jenkin had targeted Tina before.
But she previously thought she could change his violent behaviour.
However, since this time, Tina has become a campaigner and warned other victims of domestic violence to get out “before it is too late”.
She told them: “It’s not going to get better, it’s going to get worse.”
The Parole Board and MoJ have been approached for a comment.
HOW YOU CAN GET HELP:
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.