THE ex-girlfriend of “crossbow cannibal” Stephen Griffiths has told of her ten years of torture and abuse at the hands of a cold-blooded killer.

Kathy Hancock, 37, who used to work as a prison officer at Full Sutton Prison, near York, said she repeatedly fled from Griffiths, who was yesterday jailed for life for the murder of three prostitutes in Bradford.

Ms Hancock, who is understood to have lived for some time with her parents in Stamford Bridge before they left the area, shuddered as she recalled their 12-month relationship.

She said: “He liked to take over in a way that you didn’t really see. He was controlling the situation. He was possessive, unbelievably possessive.

“He attempted to drug me, he stabbed me, he physically attacked me, he cut me with a piece of glass all sorts, hit me in the face, threatened to kill me.”

Kathy eventually managed to escape the relationship by running away to another town – but he always found out where she lived, despite court orders preventing him from seeing her.

She told Calendar News: “He never really left me alone. I went on holiday in 2008 and he was still texting, emailing and phoning while I was away.

“One day I just never responded again and that sent him mad. I came back one day and every window of my flat was painted bright yellow. He killed the outside cats, slashed the tyres of my car, all sorts.”

The last message Griffiths left on Ms Hancock’s mobile phone had no words, just chilling manic laughter.

She said Griffiths had told her he would kill somebody. “I can see through my eyes him standing over somebody and not caring and the only thing that would make him panic was if he was caught,” she said.

“I always knew he had the capability of it. All of it is a game for him. He has a complete disregard for life, totally.”

Griffiths, 40, was caught when a caretaker at the flats where he lived saw horrific CCTV footage of one of the victim’s final moments.

When he was arrested Griffiths told police “I’ve killed loads” and claimed he had eaten human flesh, adding: “That’s part of the magic”.

VIDEO: Stephen Griffiths is charged

Criminology student Griffiths confessed to murdering Suzanne Blamires, Shelley Armitage and Susan Rushworth, who all worked in the red light district near his home in Bradford, West Yorkshire.

He killed Suzanne Blamires by firing a crossbow bolt into her head.

Sentencing Griffiths at Leeds Crown Court for his “wicked and monstrous” crimes”, Judge Mr Justice Openshaw told him he would never be released from prison.

Griffiths showed no emotion as the judge imposed the whole-life tariff.

Earlier, Robert Smith QC, prosecuting, told the court it was the job of the caretaker at the housing association development where he lived to review CCTV footage each morning.

On May 24, as he watched the recordings at 8.30am, he made a grim discovery. Footage from camera 14 showed Ms Blamires running out of Griffiths’ flat with her killer in pursuit.

She was then seen being dragged along the floor by her leg by Griffiths. Mr Smith said Griffiths was seen to have something in his hand.

The woman was then shot with a crossbow before Griffiths “gestured” by holding a finger up to the camera.

Mr Smith told the court how Griffiths told arresting officers: “I’’m Osama bin Laden.”

The prosecutor said once in a police station he told officers: “I’ve killed a lot more than Suzanne Blamires – I’’ve killed loads.”

Mr Smith said Griffiths had admitted killing Ms Blamires in the flat and dismembering her by hand. He said power tools had been used on the other victims. Mr Smith told the court 81 different pieces of Ms Blamires were found in or by the River Aire in Shipley.