FOR her milestone 50th birthday, Tracy McHarg had planned a special meal with her children and grandchildren to celebrate.

Instead, the now 51-year-old was held captive by her toyboy boyfriend in his home for three days and was subjected to horrifying abuse.

The grandmother-of-two had initially fallen madly in love with Kais Isawi, 28, who’d recently come to the UK from Libya on a boat to work.

But Tracy claims she was ‘love bombed’ and the relationship turned ‘toxic.’

After several attempts to leave him, Tracy was held captive.

Over three days, Isawi headʙuттed her, tried gouge her eyes out with his fingers, and raped her.

Luckily Tracy escaped and Kais Isawi, 28, was arrested.

In November 2025, he was sentenced to eight years in prison for the horrendous attack.

Now, Tracy’s bravely waiving her anonymity in a bid to warn women of the dangers of controlling relationships.

Tracy says: “Kai targeted a vulnerable, older woman. He love-bombed me, isolated and trapped me.

“He nearly took my sight. I’m grateful I still have my eyes, but the mental scars I’ve been left with are for life.“I urge women not to ignore any red flags like I did. It could cost your life.”

In 2024, Tracy, an NHS care home med technician from Hertfordshire, had been single for more than a decade and was focused on her adult children and two grandchildren, four, and six.

She says: “I was independent and had grown used to being by myself.

“I wasn’t looking for love. But October that year, a stranger messaged me on Snapchat.

“He said he was 34, lived in Liverpool and was originally from Libya. He was handsome and charming.

“I told him I was 48 but he didn’t care. I’d never imagined myself with a younger man. It made me nervous.”

For the next three months, Tracy and Isawi messaged online. Until late December when Tracy invited him to spend New Year’s Eve with her.

After finally meeting in real life, sparks flew between the pair.

Isawi began regularly travelling on the train from Liverpool to visit Tracy.

Tracy says: “Weeks later, Kais admitted he’d lied. He wasn’t 34, he was 27, making him 21 years younger than me.

“I felt betrayed, but by then I’d already fallen for him and forgave him.”

As months went on, Tracy claims Isawi became ‘intense.’

She says: “He kept saying we should marry. I told him to slow down.

“I also discovered how Kais’ family wasn’t just from Libya, but Kais was too.

“He’d recently come to the UK on a boat after gaining residency through a work permit the year before.”

By April 2025, the couple had only been together for three months when Tracy moved in with Isawi.

Tracy says: “My kids were concerned, as I was giving up my home and my job. But I gave love a chance instead.

“Only the next week, Kais’ behaviour flipped. He went from being extremely pᴀssionate, to horrible.

“He hid my phone and forced me to put calls on loudspeaker.

“I cried every night. He’d become a different person. I was trapped.”

The next month, in May 2025, Tracy had had enough.

She broke it off with Isawi and got a train back to Hertfordshire.

Her 50th birthday was also approaching. She was excited the relationship was over, and to celebrate the huge birthday milestone.

Tracy says: “Me, the kids and grandkids had a special birthday dinner planned.

“But Kais turned up at my house crying and apologising.

“Even though he’d been so wicked, I fell for his promises.

“I missed my 50th birthday and instead was convinced to go back to Liverpool.

“Only one evening later, Kais started arguing again. Suddenly, he headʙuттed me.

“He shouted ‘I’ll kill you!’ I saw stars. Kais grabbed my neck and pushed me into the wall.

“Then, he pressed his fingers into my eyes, trying to gouge my eyeballs out.

“I was hysterical, begging him to stop. It was hell.

“Kais yelled that he’d take my eyes. I felt like he was pulling my eyeballs out, and that I’d go blind.

“I was howling. Eventually he stopped and my eyeballs were still intact.

“But my vision was blurry and I felt blood dripping out.”

Isawi blocked Tracy from leaving, forcing her to go to bed. He’d hidden her keys and phone.

Tracy was in agony, and took pain medication to knock herself out. By the morning, Isawi hovered over her.

She says: “I woke to him pushing his genitals in my face. He demanded I ‘suck it.’ I was sobbing. I pleaded with him.

“But he pinned me onto the bed and forced himself onto me. I cried and begged him, but he didn’t stop.

“Afterwards, he let me go to the toilet. But instead, I escaped outside.

“I was barefoot, naked in a towel, with no phone.

“I froze up. Kais was shouting from the door. I couldn’t go anywhere. Somehow, he coaxed me to come back inside.

“For the next three days I was trapped inside. He threatened and controlled me.

“He’d stolen my phone and my arthritis medication. I was hurting all over.

“Finally, he let me have my phone, and I discovered my grandson had fallen ill.

“I knew it was my only way out. I pretended I needed to see my grandson.

“It was a miracle he let me book my train home for one night.”

As Tracy left Liverpool, she finally felt safe enough to call her family that she was coming home.

During the train journey, she took pH๏τos of her face. She claims her eyes were ‘bulging, black purple and red.’ And were ‘swollen twice the size.’

She secretly sent the pH๏τos to a best friend, telling her not to tell anyone.

But unbeknown to Tracy, her best friend immediately contacted Tracy’s children, who promptly phoned the police.

Tracy says: “When I arrived home, all my kids were there, panicking. Yelling that Kais could kill me.

“I broke down. I told them how sorry I was. I had no idea they’d reported Kais to the police.

“By 6am that morning, police officers were at my door. They told me Kais had been arrested at his house.

“I felt a wave of relief. I’d spent all night worried sick that he’d come back for me. He was obsessed.

“After that, the abuse I’d suffered began to sink in. I suffered from flashbacks of Kais digging his fingers deep in my eyes.”

By November 2025, Tracy faced Isawi at Liverpool Crown Court.

Tracy says: “I was a nervous wreck on the stand. Whilst Kais was making hand gestures and shaking his head, trying to influence the jury.”

Kais Isawi, now 28, of Tillotson Close, Dingle, Liverpool, was found guilty of ᴀssault occasioning bodily harm (ABH) and rape by oral penetration against Tracy.

The next month, Isawi had been sentenced to eight years.

Tracy says: “I collapsed and burst into tears that it was finally over. I heard he may be deported, which made me even feel safer.

“Looking back, I could see Kais for what he was. A monster.

“He was my first partner in 10 years and Kais knew how vulnerable I was.

“Now, I no longer work after what he did to me. I’m trying to move forward with my life.

“I’m relieved I still have my eyes. I am getting therapy and trying to get myself better.

“My kids and grandkids are here to support me.