John Sweeney's harrowing murder confession to girlfriend Delia Balmer that left her 'astounded'

A caller ITV drama, titled Until I Kill You, tells the terrifying existent communicative of Delia Balmer who survived surviving with 1 of Britain's astir notorious serial killers, John Sweeney

Delia Balmer remembers the chilling infinitesimal John Sweeney confessed to his crimes portion waving a weapon successful the air.

Agency caregiver Delia was 40 years aged erstwhile she met Sweeney, an creator and carpenter, successful a pub successful Camden, North London, backmost successful 1991. The mates bonded implicit their emotion of travelling and formed a romanticist connection earlier moving successful together. But she soon became suspicious that her person was hiding a sinister secret.

ITV's caller drama, Until I Kill You - starring Bafta-winning histrion Anna Maxwell Martin - is based connected Delia's memoir, successful which she recounts her convulsive narration with the notorious serial killer. In her 2017 book, Delia tells of the infinitesimal she discovered her fellow was not who helium initially seemed, and however it made her feel.

Delia embarked connected a three-year narration with Sweeney, but things turned nasty aft she ended it successful 1994. The caregiver became alarmed aft uncovering rope, portion and gloves hidden nether the furniture they shared, and past learned the terrifying truth. Sweeny held her captive for 4 days, repeatedly raping her earlier attempting to termination her with a woody axe.

Miraculously, Delia lived to archer the communicative and spot her erstwhile spouse enactment down bars for the effort connected her beingness and for the treble execution of 2 of his ex-girlfriends. In 2011, helium was sentenced to beingness imprisonment without the anticipation of parole. It's believed helium could person killed 3 different women who were reported missing betwixt 1970 and 1990.

In her book, Living With A Serial Killer, Delia recalls the infinitesimal Sweeney confessed his crimes to her. She writes that helium told her, referring to American exemplary and lensman Melissa Halstead, and ranting and raving arsenic helium spoke: "We were successful our country successful Amsterdam... Melissa was there, and determination were 2 German guys." What helium said adjacent 'astounded' her.

"I killed them all," Sweeney said. "I sat with the bodies for 3 days. I didn't cognize what to do; I didn't privation the constabulary to find me." She remembers him waving a weapon successful the air, 'slicing done it, the leaf swishing near and right'. "On the 3rd day," Sweeney continued, "I chopped up their bodies, and enactment them successful bags, and threw them successful the canal."

After being cautious not to choler Sweeney further, Delia managed to past her hostage ordeal, portion helium fled the flat. She reported him to the constabulary and helium was sent to North London's Pentonville Prison, lone to beryllium released connected bail. It was past that Delia experienced a devastating premonition.

Speaking with the Mirror successful 2017, Delia said: "I thought: 'He volition bash something. He volition chopped maine to bits. Just similar helium had Melissa'. The infinitesimal I discovered helium was out, I was connected edge. I knew helium would beryllium coming for me." Horrifyingly, her gut feeling proved each excessively accurate. Shortly earlier Christmas that year, Sweeney attacked Delia with an axe connected her ain doorstep.

He punctured her lung, broke some her arms and stabbed her successful her bosom and thigh. He besides chopped disconnected her small finger, which Delia recalls seeing 'flying done the air'. Thankfully, Delia survived the onslaught aft a neighbour intervened and Sweeney fled into the night. This would beryllium the past she'd spot of him for 7 years. In 2001, helium was yet caught and arrested.

The nationalist home maltreatment helpline offers enactment for women connected 0808 2000 247, oregon you tin sojourn the Refuge website. There is simply a dedicated men's proposal line connected 0808 8010 327.

• You tin drawback Until I Kill You: The Real Story this evening (November 7) astatine 9pm connected ITV1.