Reality TV star McConnell told he could face jail for assaulting actress 'who feared for her life'

The Swords native and model, who met Miss Davis in the Celebrity Big Brother house in January 2016, was found by a judge at Liverpool Magistrates' Court to have beaten the mother of his child at her home in Merseyside on March 9.

District Judge Wendy Lloyd adjourned sentencing until Friday and warned McConnell custody was a possibility.

Miss Davis told the court how McConnell had "completely destroyed" her life.

Judge Lloyd ordered a break in proceedings when McConnell (27) began laughing in the dock after Miss Davis broke down in tears.

The former Hollyoaks actress said: "He's completely destroyed my life, it's been the worst 18 months of my life."

The 24-year-old told the court the couple had been out for a meal in Liverpool with friends to celebrate her birthday on the evening of March 9 and returned to her home, but McConnell then went out to a local pub with two of the friends.

Cocaine

She said when he returned to the house at about midnight he was "out of it" and had been taking cocaine.

The couple's friends left and she said McConnell grabbed her by the face.

The court heard how Miss Davis feared for her life as McConnell grabbed her face and took her phone, before throwing her around "like a ragdoll" and getting her in a headlock.

"He was calling me a slag. He said that I was fat, he said that no one was going to want to touch me again," she said.

She said McConnell took her phone from her as she tried to call for help, then pushed her and bit the inside of her arm.

The court was shown photos of a bruise she said was caused by the bite, as well as extensive bruises to her legs and body.

Miss Davis said McConnell left the house but later returned and began kicking the doors in an attempt to get in.

"I heard him go over the gate, it was literally like a horror film. I just thought, 'this is it, he's going to kill me'," she said.

She told the court that it was only the arrival of her mum, Pauline, that stopped McConnell's attack.

"After I locked the doors I heard kicking on the front door like he was putting it in. That was at the front of the property," she said.

She told of how McConnell, hyped up on booze and cocaine, had accused her of having a lesbian affair with her pregnant friend and of sleeping with a firefighter living on the same street.

The court heard how both had argued over a sex toy, with "paranoid" McConnell believing it had moved places because Miss Davis had used it with her friends.

But Miss Davis denied the accusations, along with claims from McConnell's legal team that she had "embellished" her evidence.

Miss Davis said McConnell also "went to smash a bottle of wine over his head".

"That was just when my mum knocked at the door and it was the biggest relief of my life because I genuinely thought that was it," she said.

Asked if McConnell was the love of her life, she said: "No, not at all.

"I thought he was, I really, really did love Jeremy. Now I realise it's not love, you don't do things he has done to the mother of your child."

She said the couple used to argue about his drug use and claimed he spent £180,000 (€198,000) on cocaine last year.

During the trial, things got heated between the ex-couple, who were sent out by the judge for their unacceptable courtroom behaviour.

Lies

McConnell had muttered under his breath, "lies, lies, lies" while Miss Davis was giving evidence.

This caused her to lose her temper and utter a string of profanities as she exited the court room for their judge- mandated break.

McConnell told the court Miss Davis attacked him after learning he had taken cocaine.

He said he pushed her away in self-defence and claimed injuries shown in photos were "self-inflicted".

"I've seen her hurt herself," he said.

James Morris, defending, said: "She is aggrieved that he actually ended their relationship some six weeks ago."

McConnell pleaded guilty to criminal damage of Miss Davis's property at an earlier hearing.

McConnell was bailed on the condition he does not contact Miss Davis, her mother or her aunt.