Streatham attacker’s ex: I felt 'trapped' in 'emotionally damaging' relationship

Bronwen Weatherby3 February 2020
WEST END FINAL

Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

The former partner of the Streatham attacker has said she lives in fear and feels like she is “reliving the nightmare” of their relationship.

The woman, who spoke to ITV News on condition of anonymity, said she felt “trapped” during her one-year relationship with Sudesh Amman

While together, Islamic State supporter Amman, urged his then girlfriend to kill her “disbeliever” parents and told her that any Muslim not supporting IS were apostates.

Amman was jailed in December 2018 for possessing and distributing terrorist documents but was freed from prison less than a fortnight ago.

Streatham terror attack - In pictures

1/21

The woman, who is in her early 20s, said she was unaware that Amman had been released, adding: “I haven’t heard from him for a long time, I don’t know what happened to him in prison.”

Reflecting on their relationship, she said: “He never hurt me physically, but emotionally and psychologically he did. I felt trapped.

“I tried to deal with it by myself, but it affected me tremendously.

“He seemed OK at first, but it quickly became apparent that things weren’t right.”

Amman urged the woman to kill her “disbeliever” parents and told her that any Muslim not supporting IS were apostates.

The woman said she was left “shaking, traumatised, horrified” when she heard he had been killed by police after attacking passers-by in Streatham High Road, south London, on Sunday.

“I just want to move on and have a normal life and I felt like I was starting to, but now it feels like I’m reliving it all, reliving the nightmare,” she said.

Describing her anger following their relationship, she said: “Even though it was a long time ago I still feel like I’m having to look over my shoulder.

Police remain at the scene as the government grapple with what to do next
PA

“I just live in fear – it shouldn’t be like this. But it’s given me some closure that I don’t feel trapped in a situation anymore.

“It’s really opened my eyes – you think you know a person, but you don’t. People should be careful.

“I feel hugely betrayed – this was someone I trusted, and now I’ve got to live with this the rest of my life.”

She said she did not agree with the increasingly radical views he expressed during their relationship.

Houses like this one in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, were raided in the aftermath of Sunday's attack 
PA

“I didn’t believe in his ideology, I didn’t condone it, I didn’t agree with it and I never will, but I couldn’t stop it,” she said.

“The authorities really need to focus on rehabilitation. Offenders like this, with that sort of ideology, if they’re not rehabilitated properly before they’re released, or the penalties are increased, then this will just happen again.

“My tears and heart are with the innocent people affected.”

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland has announced the Government's plans to introduce emergency legislation intended to prevent terrorist offenders from being granted automatic release halfway through their prison sentence.

Robert Buckland puts forward the governments plans to prevent terrorists being released from prison without review
Sky News

MPs debated the matter in the House of Commons on Monday evening but, if passed, the emergency law would mean no terrorist could be released until the Parole Board is satisfied they no longer pose a risk to the public.

MP Buckland said: "Yesterday’s appalling incident makes the case plainly for immediate action.

“We cannot have the situation, as we saw tragically in yesterday’s case, where an offender – a known risk to innocent members of the public – is released early by automatic process of law without any oversight by the Parole Board."

He added: "The underlying principle has to be that offenders will no longer be released early automatically and that any release before the end of their sentence will be dependent on risk assessment by the Parole Board.

“The earliest point at which the offenders will now be considered for release will be once they have served two-thirds of their sentence and, crucially, we will introduce a requirement that no terrorist offender will be released before the end of their full custodial term unless the Parole Board agrees.

"We face a threat from an ideology that takes no heed for others and we must use every tool we can to make sure that that threat is neutralised.”

The Government have faced criticism over cuts to the criminal justice system, in particular, rehabilitation and deradicalisation programmes.

Labour's Richard Burgon said the cuts had "left communities less safe".

The attack on Sunday follows the London Bridge attack which took place just over two months ago in which two people died at the hands of released terrorist offender Usman Khan.

Victims Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones were Cambridge University students working at the time for an offenders rehabilitation programme when they were stabbed to death.

Clare Collier, an advocacy director for campaign group Liberty, said: “The Government’s response to recent terror attacks is a cause of increasing concern for our civil liberties.

“From last month’s knee-jerk lie detector proposal, to today’s threat to break the law by changing people’s sentences retrospectively, continuing to introduce measures without review or evidence is dangerous and will create more problems than it solves.

“It’s clear the UK’s counter-terror system is in chaos and desperately needs proper scrutiny and review.”

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in