A WOMAN ”seconds from death” after being strangled by her gun cop husband has spoken of her disgust that he escaped jail over the attack.

Nine months on from the assault, Sarah Jay, whose husky voice still serves as a scar of the damage inflicted, said she felt “totally let down” by ­the 12-WEEK suspended sentence given to former Met firearms officer Pere Daobry.

The petite 42-year-old was subjected to terrifying physical and mental abuse by 6ft 7in bodybuilder Daobry, which only ended after he throttled her to the point of unconsciousness.

Sarah told The Sun on Sunday: “I suffered at the hands of this lunatic for two years. I am devastated he isn’t behind bars. He deserves to be. For any man to do this is terrible — for a policeman to do what he did is outrageous.

He cut at his own arm with a knife

“He nearly killed me. All he has got is a slap on the wrists. He is free to do it all over again. What deterrent is that for other men?”

The number of offences against women, including rape and domestic abuse, rose by almost ten per cent year on year to 117,568 between April 2015 and March 2016, according to figures released this month.

More than 100,000 were prosecuted for domestic abuse, with more than 75 per cent convicted — both record numbers.

Sarah, a former police sergeant from Essex, added: “It will take me a long time to recover.

“When I met him I was a strong, confident, capable woman. I could never have imagined being a victim of domestic violence. I was terrified, isolated and had no one to turn to. That’s why I’m telling my story.

“If I can help even one other woman to escape such misery then my suffering won’t have been in vain. I was only seconds away from death — that terrifies me.”

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Single-mum Sarah’s ordeal began after she joined dating site Plenty Of Fish in April 2013. She started chatting to the “charming, fit and charismatic” Daobry and the pair “seemed to click”.

Sarah met him at a pub for their first date a few weeks later.

Speaking from the pretty country cottage she shared with the 43-year-old and her daughter, Hollie, 11, she recalled: “I didn’t believe in love at first sight but when I met Pere I was completely bowled over. I thought he was ­gorgeous and genuine.

“Looking back, I’m not sure I can explain it. Within a month I was completely in love. I was approaching 40 as a single mum and things started looking up.”

Daobry, who has four children from two previous marriages, was a “tower of strength” for Sarah as she struggled to cope with her ill dad and claims that she was bullied at work with Essex Police.

The couple married in December 2013 but Daobry changed after Sarah left the force the following July.

She explained: “His eldest daughter came to stay and that was the first time I saw him lose his temper.

He would get very angry with her, I would intervene and his anger would be deflected on to me.

“Once we had such a furious row that he ran downstairs and started cutting at his arm with a knife.

There was blood everywhere. It was desperate attention-seeking but he wouldn’t let me call for help.

“As a firearms officer he couldn’t have any allegations of misconduct on his record or he’d lose his job. ­Stupidly, I protected him.” Daobry, who also served on the ­diplomatic protection squad and worked in the Royal Military Police, started to lose his temper ­regularly, taking it out on Sarah.

She said: “At first he didn’t touch me but he intimidated me. It would start with a row over something trivial. If I went to leave he’d block me and take my phone. I remember hiding with my ­daughter in our bathroom. Another time I curled up on the pantry floor to stay out of his way.

“Looking back, it was ridiculous. Me, a grown woman, a policewoman, with a daughter, lying and hiding and hoping it will pass. If I can be reduced to this, anybody can.”

Sarah went from being an ­“independent, strong single mother to being a terrified, isolated and silenced housewife” who rarely left the house. In October 2014 she escaped with Hollie in the middle of the night after another row with Daobry — again returning to protect his job.

She explained: “If I was instrumental in him losing his career I didn’t know what he would do to me.

And I still loved him. Every time he lost his temper it would be ­followed by deep remorse. At times I felt sorry for him.”

Then the abuse became physical. Sarah said: “In March 2015 he flipped over something trivial again.

This time he grabbed me and pushed me on to the kitchen floor. I was terrified. He was screaming in my face, holding me down. I could see a massive knife on the side. I was sure he was going to stab me. I was convinced I was going die.

The GP prescribed anti- depressants and Daobry told his superiors. At first he took sick leave, then resigned from the force. He went on holiday to address his problems. When he returned, Sarah let him move back in.

“Eventually his rage subsided and when he sobbed for forgiveness I persuaded him to go to the doctor.”

She said: “I hoped to get the man I’d fallen in love with. But on December 27 last year we were in our bedroom, talking about our future, and he started to get agitated, shouting.

“I suggested he go to the gym to calm down and moved to get away from him. He grabbed me. The next thing I remember was being on my back. I was struggling to breathe. I could feel his rage. He had his hands around my neck and was choking me.

“All I could concentrate on was staying alive. I was gasping for air but couldn’t get any in.

“I realised I had to lay still, not struggle and breathe through my nose. Trying to do that was the last thing I remember.”

When she came round, dazed Sarah discovered deranged Daobry sitting on the bed, talking calmly on the phone to police and admitting to “assaulting my wife”.

Later I realised I was seconds from death

When he realised she had regained consciousness he grabbed her by the throat as he continued the 16-minute conversation with the 999 operator.

Sarah eventually managed to escape through Hollie’s bedroom ­window and over a flat roof to safety. She suffered scratches and pain to her neck and back, swelling on her forehead and spotting in her eyes.

Hollie was not at home.

Sarah said: “The ­enormity of it didn’t hit me until the day after. It was then I realised my body had shown signs it was starting to shut down. I was seconds away from death. I was traumatised and put on medication.

“Hollie needed counselling after I told her about my ordeal.”

Daobry, now a security consultant who lives in London, was this month found guilty of assault by beating at Colchester magistrates’ court.

He was handed a 12-week jail term suspended for a year and a restraining order.

Sarah, who now works as a ­personal trainer and has not seen Daobry since the attack, said: “I want other women to know there’s help out there, not just from the police. If you’re a victim, don’t try to deal with it on your own.”

• If you have been affected by any of the issues referred to in this article, you can call the National Domestic Violence Helpline (0808 2000 247) or visit womensaid.org.uk.

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