An NHS nurse has bravely spoken out about the horrific domestic abuse she suffered at the hands of her ex-partner, Mark Illsley. Sally Vickery-Aldred, 37, from Lancashire, was subjected to a campaign of control and violence that left her feeling like a shell of her former self.
The abuse she endured
Illsley, 42, fitted a tracker on her car, confiscated her phone, and kept her awake all night for interrogations. On Valentine's Day 2025, he ripped her dress and threw a bucket of cold water over her. In another attack, he flipped her out of bed, dragged her outside by her hair, and kicked her as she lay on the ground.
Sally said: 'Mark reduced me to a shell of the person I once was and I was living in fear. Once, after a full night's interrogation, I left the house at 4am and waited outside until it was time to go to work. I just couldn't bear it any longer.'
How the relationship started
Sally met Illsley three years ago through mutual friends. Initially, he was kind and supportive, buying her gifts and treating her like a princess. But soon he became jealous and controlling, accusing her of cheating and banning her from social media.
'He was obsessed with me cheating. He'd keep me up all night with questions,' she said. 'I wasn't allowed to sleep, yet I was working the next morning.'
The final attack
In May 2025, after a spa trip with friends, Illsley accused her of seeing other men and launched a sickening attack. He flipped her out of bed, dragged her outside, and kicked her repeatedly. Sally's mother saw her injuries and called the police.
'He had ripped the skin off my back, and I was covered in bruises and abrasions,' she said. 'It was a relief that, at last, it was out of my hands.'
Jail sentence
Illsley, of Great Harwood, Lancs, appeared before Preston Crown Court on May 21 and admitted controlling and coercive behaviour, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and criminal damage. He was jailed for two years and 10 months, fined £228, and given a 10-year restraining order.
Recovery and fundraising
Sally was diagnosed with PTSD and needed regular counselling. She is now slowly rebuilding her life, running, hiking, and spending time with friends. She is fundraising for Community Solutions North West, a charity that supported her.
'I'm speaking out to make people aware. Mark Illsley is a risk to other women, and I want people to know what he is capable of,' she said.
