“HE DESTROYED my life.”

Those are the emotional words of a young Southampton woman, who fell victim to a three-year campaign of abuse at the hands of a man she believed was the love of her life.

But just months into her relationship with “abusive” Amran Ahmed (pictured), the 21-year-old university student, who wishes to remain anonymous, became trapped in a cycle of physical and emotional torment.

When the couple broke up Ahmed, 27, embarked on a violent campaign of stalking and harassment – even attempting to pay his victim’s father to let him marry her.

This month, Ahmed, of Portswood Road, Southampton, was given a suspended sentence after admitting a charge of stalking, including fear and violence.

Now his victim has bravely spoken out about the couple’s relationship, in the hope of helping others.

Speaking to the Echo, she said: “He completely destroyed my life.

“He would stop me seeing my friends and family and make me choose between him and them by saying things like, ‘If you loved me you would see me’.

“He would make comments about other women and say “why can’t you be like her”, or “why isn’t your bum like her’s?”.

“I just thought he was my life and I just thought it was my job to make him happy.

“I thought I was happy, but I wasn’t.”

The couple got together in early 2015 but “charming” Ahmed soon began asserting his control on her social life.

The couple later split over claims that Ahmed had been unfaithful, before a reconciliation in 2016.

She said: “I was happy to begin with. He took the lead and I liked that. But I would say now, looking back, that I realised how possessive he was getting.”

The relationship turned violent in 2017, when Ahmed first slapped his victim.

On one occasion, he assaulted her and made threats to pull her out of a shop by her hair.

He also locked her in and she was forced to escape out of a window.

At one point, she said the emotional and physical abuse became a “24/7” occurrence.

It wasn’t until Ahmed embarked on a trip to Central America that his victim realised her predicament.

She said: “When he went to Guatemala for three months I remembered what it felt like to be free.

"That’s when I realised, I couldn’t do this anymore.”

Ahmed’s victim later broke-off the relationship but would continue to see him to keep him at “arm’s length”.

But his obsession only intensified and he began making persistent phone calls and texts, demanding to know where she was.

Things came to a head in 2018 when Ahmed was arrested, after his victim had to lock herself in a car for protection.

At first, she refused to make a statement to police.

But after Ahmed attempted to pay her father in the hope of convincing her to marry him, she took a stand.

She said: “By going to the police I got my life back. I felt in control again.

“He used to tell me that no-one controls me but him, but no one controls me, not even him.”

Ahmed pleaded guilty to stalking involving fear and violence during a hearing at Southampton Crown Court this month.

He was given a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, alongside a restraining order preventing him from contacting the victim.

Officer in the case, DC Heather Tack said: “We are pleased that the victim in this case has found justice and can finally move on.

“I hope that this encourages others who are going through a similar experience to find the courage to speak with us.”