SHANE JENKIN'S TRANSFER TO OPEN PRISON FACING PAROLE HEARING IN CORNWALL

Monster Shane Jenkin, who brutally gouged out a mother's eyes, is now closer to being released as he prepares for a parole hearing. Tina Nash, 44, who was attacked 13 years ago, expressed her disbelief and fear over his recent move to an open prison. “The only thing I've ever wanted is to be a mum and look after my kids, and this has all just turned into a circus for me,” she said.

Jenkin, 45, was jailed for life in 2012 after admitting to severe physical assault and grievous bodily harm against Tina. He had previously carried out a vicious attack on her at her home in Hayle, Cornwall, where he gouged her eyes, broke her nose and jaw, and held her captive for 12 hours. The court was told he had watched a DVD featuring eye gouging the night before the assault.

Det Insp Chris Strickland from Devon and Cornwall Police described the attack as premeditated, stating, “It was a premeditated, sustained and vicious attack on a defenceless woman.” Despite medical efforts, Tina lost both her eyes and was rendered completely blind a month before her 30th birthday. At the time, her sons were aged 13 and 3.

Although Jenkin's parole applications have all been denied, his recent transfer to a category D open prison—intended to prepare inmates for release—has Tina worried that he may be released into the community, possibly returning to Cornwall. She fears for her safety and that of others, stating, “If he is released he will kill. It is as simple as that.”

Open prisons typically have less security and permit eligible prisoners to go out on licence for work or education, which Tina finds deeply troubling. “I know he regrets not finishing me off,” she said. “If I wasn’t here to tell the story, I would have been swept under the carpet and become just another statistic. He would have been free to start abuse all over again.”

Tina recounted how she was initially attracted to Jenkin, but soon fell victim to his violence, including an incident where he threw her down the stairs. She admitted she didn’t realize she was a victim at first, believing she had caused his rage. “He told me he had never harmed women before, and I believed him—only to find out after I lost my sight that that was not true,” she shared.

She explained her prolonged denial, saying, “I thought it was my fault, that my behavior pushed him to snap. I made excuses for him and even defended him in court.” Her realization came only after her injury left her blind. Tina now feels abandoned and deceived by the system, criticizing the lack of support for her. “He is in prison getting all the help he needs, while I have to wait months to see a counselor,” she said.

Living in darkness every day, Tina mourns her lost dreams of becoming a nurse and caring for others. “I live in a dark room every day. I used to be really sociable, but now I barely go outside,” she explained. “There is no depth to the darkness I am forced to live in. It goes on forever, suffocating me. I can never escape it.”

Despite her suffering, Tina feels compelled to speak out. “If I don’t say this, who will? I want to move on, but I can’t while he is nearing freedom. This is why I am speaking up now,” she concluded.