A British real estate agent from Machester, United Kingdom, was rushed to hospital after being beaten up by her rugby star boyfriend, who died from a suspected heart attack during the alleged attack.
Jennie Platt, a 44-year-old mother of two, needed three operations after she was reportedly beaten up by her boyfriend Ricky Bibey, with whom she was in a long-term relationship.
Bibey, a 40-year-old man who stood at 6 ft 3in and weighed 17 stone, is alleged to have subjected his girlfriend to the assault after they returned to the £350-a-night four-star Hotel Continentale in Florence in the early hours of July 16.
Platt was Brutally Beaten in 'Violent' Attack by Bibey
Jennie, who friends said had been with Bibey for three years, has only now been discharged from hospital and allowed to return home. However, she currently remains in Italy and needs a medical flight to bring her back home.
A prosecutor investigating the attack had to wait more than a week to speak with her about the ordeal due to the extent of her injuries, which included a haemorrhage.
A family friend told the Mail Online that Jennie was devastated after the "shocking and violent" attack. "She has been doing all she can to help the Italian authorities piece together what happened that night, speaking to them as a witness and as a victim of a domestic assault," the friend said.
Trip was Supposed to be a Break from Bibey's Mental Health Issues
The friend continued to explain the Florence trip was supposed to be a health break at a spa, after Bibey had suffered mental health issues and a "serious downturn" in the last six months. "He had been in and out of various centres, and this trip was to try and get him back on track - but it ended in tragedy."
They said Jennie had suffered a number of serious injuries, including one to her eye socket which was "very worrying". She was currently in a wheelchair while she recovered from the assault and was discharged from hospital some days ago.
Alcohol, Drugs Found in Bibey's System
CCTV footage showed Jennie and Bibey, who played prop for the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats before his career was cut short by injury, returning to their hotel room in the early hours of July 16.
Bibey was found dead hours later on the hotel room floor with a semi-naked Platt in the hotel hallway covered in blood. Hotel staff were alerted by shouting and screaming in the room just before 8am Saturday local time. A cleaner discovered Platt, saw the blood-smeared hotel room, and raised the alarm.
An autopsy showed Bibey had died from a heart attack. While toxicology results had yet to be confirmed, police said he had taken both alcohol and cocaine - which had combined to provoke his death.
