A woman who was strangled and sexually assaulted after being forced to drink the alcohol by her friend has revealed she still suffers from PTSD years after the assault.
Jade Richardson, 18, from London, felt ‘paralyzed’ after having some drinks with Chelsea O’Neill, 22, in 2021 – and was then assaulted for ‘almost an hour’, because she felt ‘too shaken to call for help’ call’.
The attacker had live-streamed parts of the violent incident on Instagram for hundreds of people to see, leaving the teen with horrific strangulation wounds and emotional trauma.
Now Jade is waiving her right to anonymity to encourage other survivors to report their abusers to the police.
O’Neill was found guilty of assault by penetration, assault by touch and actual bodily harm and was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment at Wood Green Crown Court.
The pair met in 2018 when Jade was 14 years old, as O’Neill (right) was friends with Jade’s girlfriend at the time and they often went on day trips together. Pictured when they were younger, on the left of the picture
Jade Richardson (pictured) was strangled and sexually assaulted after being forced to drink less by her friend in 2021
The couple met in 2018, when Jade was 14 years old, because O’Neill was friends with Jade’s girlfriend at the time and they often went on day trips together.
“Sometimes when my girlfriend wasn’t around, Chelsea would flirt with me,” the teen admitted. “If we went shopping together, she’d offer to buy me things.
“It made me uncomfortable.”
In August 2019, Jade and her girlfriend split up. Jade and O’Neill agreed to remain friends and continued to spend time together.
Just a week after the breakup, O’Neill asked Jade to be her girlfriend.
“I told her I just wanted to be friends, but she seemed angry,” she recalls.
Jade subsequently left the area and did not hear from O’Neill for months.
It wasn’t until two years later, in 2021, that O’Neill contacted her again via Instagram.
O’Neill (pictured) was found guilty of assault by penetration, assault by touch and actual bodily harm and was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment at Wood Green Crown Court
Now Jade (pictured today, aged 18) is waiving her right to anonymity to encourage other survivors to report their abusers to the police
After the attack, Jade woke up in ‘excruciating’ pain and with horrific bruises on her neck (pictured) – before confessing everything that happened to her father
“I had moved back to my hometown and lost touch with old friends, so I was happy when Chelsea reached out,” Jade admitted.
“We met in town and I invited her to my dad’s house a few nights later.”
They spent the evening together while her father was at work. The pair ordered a takeout, listened to some music and enjoyed a few drinks – which O’Neill insisted she make, filling Jade’s glass full of vodka.
Soon Jade started to feel “really drunk” – while her friend was still sober – and by 7pm, when her dad got home, they decided to hang out in his bedroom.
O’Neill began filming Jade on Instagram ordering her to drink a shot of vodka.
The pair met in 2018, when Jade was 14 years old (pictured), as O’Neill was friends with Jade’s girlfriend at the time and they often went on day trips together
She explained that she already felt too drunk and initially tried to turn the drink down. She explained, “I refused because I felt paralyzed, but then she came over and strangled me, before quickly releasing me.”
Still filming, O’Neill then pinned Jade to the bed and strangled her again.
“I couldn’t breathe, I thought I was going to die,” she revealed. With one hand still on my neck, Chelsea unzipped my pants and touched my genitals.
“I lay there, frozen, too shaken to call for help.”
After assaulting her for nearly an hour, O’Neill left – and Jade went to bed without telling her father what had happened.
She woke up in “excruciating” pain and with terrible bruises on her neck – before confessing everything that had happened to her father.
With his support, she called the police, and O’Neill was arrested after authorities took Jade’s statement.
O’Neill denied everything and instead claimed that Jade assaulted her.
Last year, O’Neill was tried at Wood Green Crown Court and Jade’s pre-recorded interview was shown as evidence. Jade in the picture, 16 years old
“I kept getting messages from strangers saying they saw the attack,” she said.
“Because it was broadcast live, it disappeared as soon as Chelsea stopped filming.”
In January 2022, Jade met her now fiancé, Sion-Paul, 23, and he helped her recover from the attack.
But as the months went by, Jade started having terrible nightmares.
“I was traumatized,” she admitted.
“I barely left the house, because everywhere I went I saw Chelsea’s face.”
With her attacker’s mental scars still haunting her, Jade is proud of herself for bringing O’Neill to justice.
“I am sharing my story in the hope that others will find the strength to do the same,” she added.
Last year, O’Neill was tried at Wood Green Crown Court and Jade’s pre-recorded interview was shown as evidence.
After a three-week trial, O’Neill was found guilty of assault by penetration, assault by touch, and actual bodily harm.
In January of this year, she was sentenced to five years.
“I was happy with her punishment,” Jade said. “Now I hope to rebuild my life.
“I want other survivors to know that justice is possible.”