A thug left his ex-girlfriend paralysed when he pushed her over a banister because she refused to give him a New Year’s kiss.
Barry Shankly, 45, had subjected Janine Kazmi, 38, to months of ‘controlling and violent behaviour’ before breaking her spine when he shoved her over a banister.
The brute tried to cover up his sickening actions with lies by telling Ms Kazmi she fell by accident at his home in Dalmarnock, Scotland, after she woke up in hospital and had temporary memory loss.
Ms Kazmi, who has been left wheelchair-bound for the rest of her life, though would eventually remember what truly happened and reported the coward to police.
Shankly was found guilty of engaging in a course of conduct which was abusive of his partner or ex-partner at Glasgow High Court in July 2024 and sentenced to 14 years in prison.
Ms Kazmi, a peer support worker, said: ‘I’ll never walk again and I’m not able to have kids due to my injury.
‘Not only did he take away my life, but he stopped another one happening.
‘I never imaged my life this way, but you’ve got to put in the work – mentally and physically.’
Janine Kazmi, 38, has been left wheelchair-bound for the rest of her life after her thug ex-boyfriend Barry Shankly pushed her over a banister when she refused to give him a New Year’s kiss
Shankly, 45, had subjected the peer support worker to months of violent and controlling behaviour
She met Shankly on a dating site October 2016, while she was living and working in Thailand.
The pair began a long-distance relationship, until Shankly invited Ms Kazmi to move into his flat in Glasgow, Scotland, in September 2019.
But she began experiencing increasing ‘controlling’ behaviour from Shankly.
She said: ‘He checked my phone and locked me in the flat. I wasn’t allowed friends – he isolated me from everyone.’
Things escalated during a trip to Lisbon, Portugal, in January 2020, when Shankly ‘stamped on her mobile’ and ‘pushed’ her over – causing her to fall and hit her head.
She said: ‘It was meant to be a happy time, but I was pushed, pulled, threatened. He promised it wouldn’t happen again, and I fell for his lies.’
In October 2020, Ms Kazmi decided to end things and claims she ‘reluctantly’ remained friends with Shankly.
Two months later, he invited her to spend New Year’s Eve with him and attempted to kiss her on the stairs of his house as she left.
The brute tried to cover up his sickening actions with lies by telling Ms Kazmi she fell by accident at his home in Dalmarnock, Scotland, after she woke up in hospital and had temporary memory loss
She met Shankly on a dating site October 2016, while she was living and working in Thailand
Doctors told her she had fractured her spine between the 23rd and 25th vertebrae and would be left paraplegic
She said: ‘I didn’t really want to be friends, but was easier than dealing with him unhappy.
‘That night, I told him our relationship wasn’t like that anymore and he pushed me. On impact, apparently, I was coherent – it must have been the shock and adrenaline.
‘But I lost consciousness and woke-up in hospital with no memory of the fall.’
Ms Kazmi was admitted to Glasgow Royal Infirmary and underwent surgery on her spine on January 6, 2021.
She was dealt another blow when doctors told her she had fractured her spine between the 23rd and 25th vertebrae and would be left paraplegic.
She said: ‘I was on my own when I got the news. I was devastated. My life changed in an instant.’
Shankly visited her in hospital and ‘fed’ her ‘lies’ about the fall. But Ms Kazmi began to regain her memory of the night and gave a statement to the police.
She said: ‘He said I was sat on the banister on the phone when I fell off. But my memory started coming back and I knew there was no phone call.
‘He was telling people different things and it didn’t add up.’
She was eventually transferred to The London Spinal Cord Injury Centre, Stanmore, London, for rehabilitation.
Shankly was arrested and pleaded not guilty to engaging in a course of conduct which was abusive of his partner or ex-partner between September 2019 and May 2021.
The case went to High Court, Glasgow, in July 2024 and Janine joined via video link from Southend Court, Basildon, London, to give her evidence.
Shankly was found guilty of the charges and jailed for a 14-year extended sentence with 13 years being spent behind bars.
Ms Kazmi went on to spend two years living in temporary housing between 2021-2023 that was ‘inaccessible’ while waiting for a permanent property.
She eventually got her own council property, but claims it took a further two years for adjustments to be made before moving in.
Ms Kazmi is now a strong advocate for disability rights after finding herself ‘stuck’ in inaccessible housing while waiting to adaptions to her council property in South-End-on-Sea, Essex.
She said: ‘I had to pursue them to get it sorted. I didn’t have a suitable bathroom or kitchen for years.
Ms Kazmi (pictured before the injury) went on to spend two years living in temporary housing between 2021-2023 that was ‘inaccessible’ while waiting for a permanent property
‘It was so degrading – he’s in prison but at least he had access to a toilet.’
Ms Kazmi is now hoping to help other survivors of domestic abuse by encouraging people to ‘speak out’.
She said: ‘If anyone asks me about my disability, I tell them what happened. I’m not ashamed – it’s important to spread awareness.
‘Suicide rates in people with spinal injuries is high. If you don’t see improvements in the first five years, it’s unlikely you ever will.
‘That’s too hard for some people to get their head around. It’s bloody hard, but there is life after a spinal injury.’
Cllr Anne Jones, cabinet member for Housing and communities, said: ‘We are committed to supporting residents with disabilities and ensuring they have access to housing that meets their needs. We understand how important it is for homes to be safe, accessible, and suitable for everyday living.
‘For privacy reasons, we are unable to comment on individual cases. However, all adaptations and adjustments are carried out in line with legal requirements, and we continue to review our processes to improve the experience for all residents.’
