British victim finds closure in Majorca rape trial

A British woman who was raped and left for dead in Magaluf has spoken of the closure she hopes to get from seeing her attacker sent to jail.

Cheryl Maddison, 25, from County Durham, moved to Majorca for work, but days after she arrived she was raped and stabbed after being followed home.

She suffered multiple stab wounds and a collapsed lung, and the attack only came to an end when she pretended to be dead.

But Miss Maddison, who now works as a model, flew to the island this week to give evidence in court against the man accused of attacking her.

“I waived my right for anonymity four or five years ago when the event actually happened because there was so many stories going about that were not true, so I wanted to get the story put straight,” she said on ITV's Daybreak programme.

“When I gave my statement there was a screen around me so he could not see me, and yesterday I was sat behind him so all I could see was the back of his head so I did not have to see him.

“After it first happened, the first year or two, it ruined my life, it changed the person who I was.

“I did my best to get back to my normal self and worked away and got my life back to normal and I am a stronger person than what I was before.”

She explained that she went to court hoping to bring closure and that since the attack she has managed to move on and start a new and possibly better life.

“I have gone over for closure to see him prosecuted for as long as he can get, but also, if I'm here to make my statement, it's getting my point across better so any questions they need answering, I have been able to answer them,” she said.

“I had to be here as I was summoned but I'm glad that I came.

“I have been with my partner for a year and I have totally moved on and I have my own life back. I always wanted to work abroad and I have managed to do that for two years so my life is totally back to normal, if not better.”

PA