A woman from Eccles who “lost everything” and sustained severe injuries because of the actions of her ex-husband, has pledged to dedicate her life to helping other victims of domestic abuse.
Emma Martin broke both ankles and a vertebra in her back when she escaped a fire that was intentionally started by Nicholas Martin.
Martin was jailed for 30 years after he poured and ignited petrol through the letterbox of Emma’s home in Eccles on October 22, 2024.
Emma was trapped on the first floor of her house, which was razed to the ground. She only survived the blaze by jumping through her bedroom window.
‘I think I can make a difference’
Aided in her recovery by our charity partners, Day One Trauma Support, the mother-of-two has now been empowered to share her experiences with other victims of domestic abuse.
Emma, who also suffered from smoke inhalation and continues to experience psychological symptoms, said:“Physically and psychologically, I’m starting to improve.
“This definitely feels like this is my year and I’m really positive about the future.
“With the help of Day One, who have been amazing, I’m now beginning to get involved with charities like the White Ribbon Campaign.
“This means a lot to me as I want to do more to support other people as I think my experiences could help other people.
“I’m also working closely with Women’s Aid and planning sessions with community partners who might appreciate first-hand experience.
“I’ve lots of other ideas, and to progress with the charity work is something I’m really keen on.
“I don’t ever want to give up on this as I think I can make a difference.”
Nicholas Martin has an appalling history of domestic abuse and was on bail for assaulting Emma on holiday in Scotland at the time of the attempted murder.
Following his assault in Scotland, he was ordered to live in Leicester and prohibited from having any contact with Emma.
But Martin broke strict bail conditions by removing his electronic monitoring tag. He also stalked Emma for several days before carrying out the near-fatal arson attack.
Martin was found guilty of attempted murder and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on November 10, 2025.
Speaking in court, Detective Constable Zoe Bellis, of Salford CID, said: “Martin undertook a campaign of abuse against his victim lasting a number of years.
“His last act nearly resulted in a woman’s death, and I am thankful of the sentencing result for putting this despicable individual behind bars and away from harming other victims.”
Reflecting upon the darkest days of her ordeal, Emma said: “I lost everything – I even lost my cat in the fire – but the psychological injuries were the hardest to deal with.
“I suffered badly with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), continually had flashbacks, couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep.
“But things are now improving as I underwent a course of psychology and was discharged just before Christmas.
“Getting past the trial and knowing he is probably going to die in prison gave me peace of mind.
“No matter how many times the detectives told me they were confident that they had a strong case I was never convinced – I just kept expecting him to turn up at my door and it would all start again.
“I’ve never felt anger towards him, but I was upset and confused and would still like to know why he did it and what for.
“I was terrified of him 12 months ago, but when I saw him being sentenced, he just looked nothing.”
Emma continues to suffer from the effects of the trauma, particularly with her physical injuries.
But she is proud to have made “fantastic progress” over the last 12 months, during which time she has returned to full-time work as a civil servant for HM Revenue & Customs.
Emma has also reconnected with her children and her mother after having been left “isolated” by Martin’s abusive behaviour.
She said: “I’d never even heard of Day One, but they have been so good to me.
“They’ve been with me every step of the way and have given me the confidence to create my own support network.
“I can’t thank them enough as I’ve now got a whole bunch of new friends and charity engagements – I’m so busy I can’t keep up!”
That she is so positive about the future is, Emma says, partly down to the emotional support of Day One Trauma.
She said: “I’d never even heard of Day One, but they have been so good to me.
“They’ve been with me every step of the way and have given me the confidence to create my own support network.
“I can’t thank them enough as I’ve now got a whole bunch of new friends and charity engagements – I’m so busy I can’t keep up!”
