Kiwi woman's abusive partner cut her throat four times

Perth grandmother Rachele Godsall has spoken of surviving a horrific attack by ex-partner. Photo / Seven News

A Kiwi woman has spoken of how her ex-boyfriend cut her throat four times and left her to die after she ended a violent and abusive relationship.

New Zealand woman Rachele Godsall, 45, is lucky to be alive after being taken hostage and enduring a horrific attack last week at their Seville Grove home in Perth's southern suburbs.

"He just grabbed a knife and he just looked at me and just cut my throat," she told Seven News on Thursday. "And then he did it three more times."

Rachele Godsall was taken hostage and slashed across the throat by an abusive ex-boyfriend. Photo / Go Fund Me

Brad Peterson left her to die on the floor as blood spurted from her throat. She also suffered cuts to her arms as she tried to defend herself in last Tuesday's attack.

"Once he's seen the blood spurting out, I was holding on to my throat and he kind of got off me," Godall said.

Drifting in and out of consciousness, the battered woman stayed alive for the sake of her loved ones, including her 4-year-old granddaughter.

"I just wanted to see my kids and my granddaughter," she said.

After that failed murder attempt, she had to undergo tracheotomy surgery at Royal Perth Hospital to repair her windpipe so she could breathe.

The 45-year-old woman was slashed four times across the throat and left to die on the floor. Photo / Seven News

Godsall, who now wears a bandage over her throat, said her abusive partner tried to kill her after she had told him she wanted to end the relationship.

A day earlier, on the Monday, Peterson had taken her hostage after she had returned to Perth from her shift at a mine.

He smacked her mouth, tied her up and gagged her before driving them to nearby bushland where he tried to kill them both.

He later took her back to their home, confiscating her mobile phone and keys and menacingly telling her to avoid contacting police.

She was attacked the next morning when she told him she wanted to leave him and tried to retrieve her car keys.

Brad Peterson died in a car crash several hours after trying to kill a woman who had left him. Photo / Seven News

As she lay bleeding, he got in her car and left.

Godsall managed to get help from a neighbour. Her abusive ex-boyfriend died in a car crash several hours later as he drove into oncoming traffic.

She told Seven News she had stayed in an abusive relationship because still loved her partner.

"When he was good, he was good," she said.

Her sister Justine Godsall has set up a Go Fund Me appeal in the hope of raising $10,000 so Rachele Godsall can buy a car to attend months of appointments with physiotherapists and doctors.

Where to get help:

If it is an emergency and you or someone you know is at risk, call 111.
• Women's Refuge: 0800 733 843
• Victim Support: 0800 842 846
• Lifeline: (09) 522 2999
• Family Violence Info Line: 0800 456 450