Woman bit lover ’58 instances on testicles’ earlier than homicide as household speaks out

WARNING DISTRESSING CONTENT: Wayne Coventry, 36, was left in agony after girlfriend Cordelia Farrell’s vicious attack – but she would go on to kill him just weeks later

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An abusive girlfriend made her lover pass out after grabbing his testicles in a “vice-like grip” and dragging him around the room – before leaving 58 bite marks on his genitals.

Wayne Coventry, 36, survived the excruciating assault but just weeks later he would lose his life when Cordelia Farrell struck again. Now, his devastated family have opened up in a heartbreaking episode of ITV’s True Crime Presents called Murder on a Knife’s Edge which airs tonight (February 26).

Wayne fell head over heels with a childhood sweetheart and remained with her for 18 years. They went on to have three children together. His dad, Barry, described his son as someone who “made us laugh a lot” and his older brother, Sean, said he “always had a smile on his face like a Cheshire Cat”.

He “doted” on his three kids but eventually only saw them at weekends after his long-term relationship broke down.

New lover

Wayne eventually began a fresh relationship with Farrell, from Dainton Grove, Bartley Green, Birmingham.

His father took an “instant dislike to her” whilst Sean said: “When they got on they did get on – but when they didn’t it was bad.”

Farrell battled an underlying personality disorder and experts on the ITV show described her as “emotionally unstable, volatile and self-destructive”.

Before long, the relationship turned controlling, and according to Wayne’s family, he was stopped from doing things he enjoyed and from seeing family members. In a startling revelation, Sean disclosed: “She used to phone him up whilst she was having sex with other men – just so he could hear it and it would get to him.”

His father added: “She used to threaten him a lot over the phone. I’ve even heard her turn around and threaten to kill him.”

Both family members implored Wayne to end the relationship, but he maintained that his love for her was profound.

Testicle attack

In September 2019, Wayne made an urgent plea to the police after being severely injured by Farrell.

Sean gave a chilling account of the incident: “She went round to his flat and they were having a bit of food and a bit of drink and then she sort of pretended that she wanted to have sex, so she has put her hand down his pants, and the next thing you know she is grabbing on to his testicles and really badly pulling down on them.”

A detective stated that during the brutal assault, Wayne was “literally pulled around the room” by his testicles.

Sean continued: “Because of the pain, my brother actually passed out at that stage. The next thing he remembers is coming around to her literally trying to bite it off. She was scary when she wanted to be… very.”

He further revealed that “58 sets of teeth marks” were discovered on his genitals.

When Wayne managed to open the door to the emergency services, Farrell stabbed him in the back with a broken plate, before she was apprehended.

Farrell maintained she was acting in self-defence and chillingly informed officers that “one of us is going to end up dead”.

Following his discharge from hospital, Sean revealed his brother was too ashamed to admit he was being terrorised by a woman.

Despite a non-molestation order being imposed, Wayne persisted in seeing Farrell, until Sean eventually received a photograph showing his brother’s face was “black and blue” following yet another attack.

His father recalled: “I couldn’t stand him being beaten like that.”

Killing

Even after another warning, Wayne carried on seeing her, but matters reached a savage climax at Sean’s residence in Broomsgrove, Worcestershire, on October 14, 2019.

Sean explained he heard a disturbance in the lounge before witnessing Farrell seize a kitchen knife whilst Wayne had his back turned.

He stated that he yelled at Wayne and as he spun around, Farrell “plunged the knife right in him”.

Fighting back tears, he recalled: “My brother-in-law shouted ‘don’t pull the knife out’ but she just pulled it out and smirked, as if she knew what she was doing. And my son was stood right there beside her when she did it… 11-year-old boy.

“It was like my brother didn’t realise what had happened at that time, he carried on and walked to here, and he must have realised, and he has turned round, he said ‘Sean’, and that was it, he fell down on the floor.

“I was stuck, I couldn’t move. That is when I come running in and phone 999 for the ambulance and the police. I’ve had to get down on the floor and start counting my brother’s last breaths on the floor.”

Regarding Farrell’s whereabouts at this time, he recalled: “She literally dropped the knife and walked out as my brother was dying on the floor.”

Five days later, she turned herself in but denied culpability, insisting that she did not mean to inflict serious harm. She maintained that she was defending herself from Wayne, who she alleged had threatened her with a knife.

Whilst testifying in court as a witness, Sean stated: “When I was giving evidence on the stand and Cordelia was in the dock she was smiling at me as if it was something to laugh about.”

The victim’s father remarked: “She has got an evil streak in her, definitely.” To the family’s dismay, Farrell was acquitted of murder but found guilty of manslaughter following a two-week trial at Worcester Crown Court.

She received a 10-year prison sentence and was instructed to serve a minimum of seven and a half years. Farrell was also convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and given an 18-month sentence for assault, to be served concurrently.

Sean labelled the sentencing as “wrong” and is now encouraging men who are victims of domestic abuse to speak up and report it.