I was raped by my monster ex, I want to make sure he doesn’t hurt anyone again
A TEENAGER repeatedly raped by her ex-partner has bravely spoke out her ordeal in the hope that other potential victims seek help.
Roni Smith, 18, waived her right to anonymity so perverted beast Brandon MacLean, 20, could be fully named and shamed.
Brute MacLean was convicted by a jury at the the High Court in Edinburgh of raping Roni and another woman.
He was jailed for five-and-a-half years on Monday.
Brave Roni, from Fife, was just 16-years-old when her relationship started with MacLean after meeting him in August 202.
She initially thought he was a “good guy” who was friends with her friends, but within days of their relationship starting he began his abusive and controlling behaviour towards her.
MacLean started bombarding Roni with phone calls, tracking her movements on Snapchat and started to isolate her from her family.
Then just 19 days into their relationship he raped her for the first time – which was when he took her virginity.
His campaign of abuse, which involved raping her multiple times, lasted a period of six months where he also beat her and took her phone away.
He also threatened to commit suicide if she tried to leave him and pressured her to get pregnant.
Roni was living with MacLean while the abuse continued and felt that she wouldn’t be believed if she tried to open up about her ordeal.
But after suffering a miscarriage, Roni decided she needed to take action and created a secret Facebook account which she used to message her mum.
Her family came together and staged an intervention to help her escape and get her to safety in February 2021.
Roni told the Daily Record that she felt “trapped”, adding that MacLean even went so far as to tell her mum she would “lose her daughter” if she tried to contact her, claiming Roni “didn’t want to speak to her”.
Her family hatched a plan to save her, which saw her grandparents visit them and they refused to leave until Roni went with them.
Her family immediately took her to hospital to be looked over after he miscarriage and then her mum went with her to report the abuse the police.
Roni told the Daily Record: “That was the point when my mum realised exactly what had been happening to me. She got really upset.
“I had never seen her cry before. Brandon has hurt my entire family as well and that has really broken me.”
“Brandon was my first proper relationship. I thought it was normal behaviour at the time, but it wasn’t normal – it was far from it.
“I was naive and completely blinded to it. He stole my childhood and I can’t get it back.
“But if this is happening to you then remember, you didn’t ask for this and you don’t deserve it.
“You need to find a way out. If I hadn’t, I’d probably be dead.”
Roni has encouraged anyone who is going through a similar ordeal to find the courage and report their abusers.
The brave teen is an inspiration and a beacon of hope to victims that there is life after abuse after having fallen in love with someone else.
Roni is now expecting a baby with her new partner Jordan Johnstone, 24, and said it wouldn’t be possible if she hadn’t reported MacLean.
She added: “You will be believed if you speak out and you will be okay. It is scary and it won’t be easy, but life does get better.
“If I hadn’t got out, I wouldn’t have met Jordan or be having this baby.
“You’ve got the strength to do it, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now.”
Police Scotland has been contacted for comment.
We pay for your stories and videos! Do you have a story or video for The Scottish Sun? Email us at scoop@thesun.co.uk or call 0141 420 5200