The ex-girlfriend of notorious woman-beater Stephen Cahoon — the man being hunted by cops investigating the murder of pregnant mum-of-four Jean Quigley — has told of the hell she suffered at the hands of the vicious thug.

“I’m lucky he didn’t kill me. He’s a maniac,” Samantha Brown told Sunday Life.

The Ballymena woman, who was in a relationship with Cahoon for two years, said she felt physically sick when she saw his picture in newspapers in connection with the death of Londonderry woman Jean Quigley, who was laid to rest yesterday.

Samantha said living with Cahoon was “like being with Jekyll and Hyde” and she branded the man who beat her black and blue as a “psychopath who will never change”.

She is still on anti-depressants as a result of the abuse she suffered from Cahoon, even though she split with him more than a decade ago.

The 32-year-old also revealed that due to Press coverage of the manhunt for Cahoon, she has to break the news to her 10-year-old daughter Aimee that her father is wanted in connection with a murder.

“When I saw his picture in the paper I felt sick,” she said.

“He’s a maniac and I’ve said for years that people like him don’t change.

“I thought I had moved on but when something like this happens, it just brings it all back.”

Cahoon started physically abusing Samantha when she fell pregnant.

He attacked her when Aimee was born jaundiced as he blamed her for the child’s condition and he also launched a vicious attack as Samantha breastfed their daughter.

The final straw came when he tried to strangle her with the rope from a dressing gown.

Samantha said: “He nearly killed me that time and I knew I had to get out before I ended up dead.

“When we first got together he was so charming, all my friends thought he was wonderful.

“But he started beating me when I was pregnant and it just got worse.

“I could tell by his eyes when he was going to start. He had the most evil eyes.”

Samantha also expressed surprise that he was in a relationship with Ms Quigley, a Catholic, because Cahoon was an out and out bigot.

“When I had Aimee he told me I wasn’t allowed to go and visit my Catholic friends.

He used to say, and these are his words not mine, there was no way I was taking her into a fenian’s house.

“My heart goes out to that poor girl Jean. God love those wee wains.”

Cahoon was handed a three year sentence in October 1999 for 15 offences against women.

He admitted 12 charges of assaulting Samantha and one charge of threatening to kill her.

The most serious offence was one of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to another woman, Lynne McCall, a complete stranger to Cahoon.

While a pregnant Samantha Brown lay sleeping in the bed she shared with Cahoon in the early hours of September 28, 1997, the thug sneaked out of their home and went stalking a victim.

Eighteen-year-old Lynne McCall had been walking home along the Broughshane Road, Ballymena after a night out with friends.

She cannot remember anything of meeting Cahoon because she was beaten unconscious by him.

The teenager was beaten so badly by him that her own family didn’t recognise her.

Lynne came round hours after the attack covered in blood and was taken to hospital following assistance from members of the public.

Cahoon had left a vital clue which led to his conviction — a nurse retrieved a piece of chewing gum from Lynne’s hair which DNA testing traced to Cahoon.

Evil Cahoon, who had denied attacking Lynne McCall, made an 11th hour confession after the jury had been sworn for a trial.

Lynne and Samantha bravely faced Cahoon in court but were left devastated by the lenient sentence he was handed for a total of 15 offences against the two women.

Sunday Life launched a campaign to get Cahoon’s sentence increased and the Attorney General launched an appeal, which led to Cahoon’s sentence being increased to five years and three months.

Samantha said: “He could easily have killed me or Lynne.

“He left Lynne for dead and he didn’t even know her.

“He’s a monster and he’ll never change.

“I said at the time, when he only got five years, that he should have got far longer.

“I believe he should have got a life sentence for what he did to me and Lynne.

“There should be some mental health checks in place for people like him.

He should have been assessed at the end of his jail sentence instead of being let back out onto the streets.”

When he was released, Cahoon made attempts to see daughter Aimee.

Samantha said he tried for access but after missing several pre-arranged meetings, a judge banned him from making further access attempts for 10 years.

She said: “I’ll have to tell Aimee about what is happening. She and her friends watch the TV, they see the papers and it’s better coming from me than someone else.”

Despite suffering deep mental scars, Samantha picked up the pieces and went on to complete a course in early childcare studies at Stranmillis College in Belfast. She now works for Cruise Bereavement Care and has just started a new relationship.

She said: “I will always be fearful of him but I’ve tried to get on with my life both for my sake and Aimee’s.”