A woman who was left paralysed and brain-damaged after she was kidnapped by her then boyfriend and fell from a van travelling at 60mph has said her first word in three years.
Angel Lynn, now 22, was snatched off the street by Chay Bowskill in Rothley, Leicestershire, in September 2020 after an argument.
She was later found lying seriously injured in the carriageway of the A6 near Loughborough, Leicestershire Police said.
Angel’s mother Nikki Lynn told ITV’s Good Morning Britain, her daughter said “mum” during a recent hospital visit.
“I just walked in and she was groaning,” she said.
“So I said to her: ‘Angel, you know if you’re making those sort of noises you must be able to say something’.
“And that’s when I just started making noises myself and she just came out with it.
“I had no warning or anything that she was going to speak. I never thought she would speak again.”
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It follows the news that in May, Angel managed to stand for the first time.
In January 2022, Bowskill, then aged 20, of Syston, Leicestershire, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years after being convicted of kidnap, coercive and controlling behaviour, and perverting the course of justice, following a trial at Leicester Crown Court.
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Last March, Bowskill had his sentence increased to 12 years and the judge ruled he must serve at least two-thirds of that sentence.
Bowskill’s accomplice, Rocco Sansome, then also aged 20, of Birstall, Leicestershire, was also found guilty of kidnap and sentenced to 21 months in prison. His sentence was not changed by Court of Appeal judges.