Love Island’s Hayley Hughes reveals how her mum shielded her from her abusive dad growing up [Details]

Love Island’s Hayley Hughes has revealed how her mum shielded her from her abusive father growing up.

Aged four, Hayley’s mum Nichola took her daughter and left notorious criminal Carl Wooding to escape years of “physical and emotional abuse”.

Carl, who died earlier this year aged 42, is said to have tried to worm his way back into their lives, but Hayley’s mum continued to fight back.

Speaking to the Daily Star , Hayley said: “I never called him dad, I haven’t had a relationship with him since I was four.

“He was abusive physically and mentally. My mum did the right thing for me and saved me from it.

“She kept me away from growing up with someone like that.”

Hayley, 21, said if anyone finds themselves in an abusive relationship “I hope they have the courage, like my mum, to leave them.”

She went on: “If you’re a woman in a relationship, with a child or without a child, get away from it, don’t let anyone put you through that. You are worth more.”

According to the Liverpool Echo , Carl was jailed for running over his girlfriend in 2012 and had previous convictions for possession of cannabis, threatening hospital staff and attacking another former partner.

His violent ways weren’t accepted by the community and in 2009 he was beaten up by a mob for attacking his then partner.

A neighbour who lived nearby at the time said: “He got battered and was lying in the street.”

But just three years later, Wooding was back in trouble when he ran over his then partner.

Judge Robert Warnock said, jailing him for 20 months: “You have a temper. That temper results in you bullying and berating partners, family, and those that you can control.”

After serving his time, Wooding moved to Knotty Ash, Liverpool, where he died on Mother’s Day earlier this year.