Mother-of-four Nadine met a “caring” man online who “love bombed” her. But over the next four years her life became a horror story of abuse at his hands.

A British man has been jailed just nine months after subjecting his Australian girlfriend to years of physical and mental abuse, including threatening her children.

Nadine Hams, 43, from Gippsland in southeast Victoria, said Terry Phillips was initially very affectionate and “lovebombing” after they met online.

Within six months, Phillips had become violent, leaving the mother of four with a broken cheekbone, a broken wrist and often bruised and battered.

The abuse continued even when she was pregnant, and Phillips once hit her on the head with a stick while she was driving.

Just a week after giving birth, Ms Hams was kicked in the stomach while breastfeeding, and Phillips almost made contact with her baby.

He then punched her in the face, breaking her cheek.

“His fuse could go from normal to psychopathic in a split second,” he said. Nine news.

‘He is a disgusting human being.

Hams, who now works as a paramedic, said her children were also victims of Phillips’ abuse.

“You don’t forget screams like your children’s,” he said.

Phillips also cut up her bed and pillows, was a compulsive liar and monitored Ms Hams’ social media accounts.

Hams said she kept the abuse a secret from loved ones and used makeup to cover the bruises.

She managed to send photos of her injuries to a friend and eventually reported the abuse to the police.

When Phillips was confronted with evidence of his abuse in a police interview in February 2022, he denied any wrongdoing and claimed it was “made up shit.”

There were even dents left in the fridge after Phillips slammed Ms Hams’ head into it.

Phillips pleaded guilty to a long list of charges against Hams, including assault.

He was also found to have threatened to kill a child and admitted to assaulting another woman he was dating.

Phillips was jailed for nine months and 21 days. Upon his release, he will be placed on a 15-month community corrections order and will have to complete 20 hours of community service.

You also risk being deported back to the UK.