A FLINTSHIRE woman has shared how her ex-boyfriend bit her ear off during a brutal attack while watching England lose a World Cup match.

Gemma Williams, 37, was severely beaten and had part of her ear ripped off by her ex-boyfriend during the England vs Italy World Cup match in June 2014.

The attack at the hands of her then-partner, David Barr, now 46, left her concussed for months and "mentally scarred for life". 

Gemma - who was 29 at the time of the attack - is now speaking out about the link between the World Cup and domestic violence - which increases by a staggering 38 per cent when England lose.

Gemma, a cleaning company assistant, from Mold, said: "It was absolutely awful. I couldn't leave the house for two months, I was off work for three months and the concussion lasted even longer.

"He had shown some signs of aggression, but I didn't pick up on it properly as I'd never experienced that before. On the day it happened, England were playing Italy in the World Cup - a match they lost."

READ MORE: Children 'at greater risk of domestic abuse during World Cup'

She continued: "He was drinking and watching the game, then one of my old colleagues messaged me and just asked how I was. David saw it and took it the wrong way - he got up and smashed my phone to pieces, before punching me and continuing to beat me whilst I lay unconscious on the kitchen floor."

Gemma ended up in hospital with a severe concussion, broken jaw and part of her ear bitten off.

The Leader:

"I couldn't even get a hairbrush through my hair because it was so matted with blood," Gemma said. 

"He tried to get me to tell people I had fallen over the dog, but after a few days I told my friend and she called the police - thank God."

The couple had met in November 2013 through Facebook, and hit it off at first.

READ MORE: North Wales Police 'proud' to support violence against females White Ribbon Day

Just three months later, in January 2014, David had moved into Gemma's house in Mold.

However, shortly after they started living together Gemma began feeling 'trapped' and terrified'.

David was arrested and later sentenced at Mold Crown Court in August 2014 to six years behind bars after pleading guilty to a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The Leader: Gemma had part of her ear bitten off during the attack. Gemma had part of her ear bitten off during the attack. (Image: SWNS)

Gemma is now happily married, but says healing from the attack is "never-ending", and hopes that the high rates of domestic violence associated with the World Cup improves.

She said: "The short term impact of the attack was absolutely awful. I had to have post-it notes around the house to remind me of things because my concussion was so bad.

"It's taken a long time to trust again. Luckily, I've married someone I've known for 20 years so the trust is there. But at first I was so scared, everything I walked round a corner I thought he'd be there.

"The World Cup is definitely a trigger for domestic violence because of the amount of drinking and how hyped everyone gets. It's also about the individual's personality as well, but when you see riots at football clubs over a game, it's just ridiculous.

"The culture of football and the World Cup encourages violence towards women, it needs to change."