The London-based chef had stumbled across a video of twisted ex Hubert Greliak raping her while she lay unconscious with her hands tied behind her back.
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Juliana had no memory of the ordeal, which happened in February 2020, because she had been convinced to take “a huge amount of ketamine” by her on-off partner of nearly two years.
She discovered the disgusting recording two months later, shortly after dumping Greliak, and she reported him to the police.
Shockingly, despite the video evidence, he was granted bail, leaving Juliana a virtual prisoner in her own home as she was too afraid to go out.
In April 2022, Greliak was sentenced to 18 years in prison for rape, sexual assault and theft – nearly two years on from the attack.
Juliana, whose story is shared in the new true crime series Red Flag by UKTV and W, tells The Sun that Greliak was a “master manipulator” and she feared he would have killed her.
She tried to leave him multiple times without success and finding the video of her attack was the moment that helped her escape from him for good.
Juliana, now 36, tells the Sun: “After I saw the video I was in shock. I couldn’t believe this person, someone I loved and who I thought loved me, would do this.
“I never thought he would hurt a fly until then so it was very scary but at the same time, the biggest feeling I had was relief.
“I thought, ‘Now I can get away from this abusive relationship, now I can report him and he won’t be able to try to get back with me or manipulate me into continuing the relationship’.
“I knew if I stayed in that relationship I would die. I thought, ‘Here’s my chance and I have to do everything I can to bring him to justice because that’s the only way I’m going to have peace.’”
‘Trained like a dog’
Brazil-born Juliana believes psychology graduate Greliak, who studied neurolinguistic programming (NLP) and hypnotherapy, used his skills to manipulate her throughout their relationship.
She tells us: “He pretty much trained me like a dog, when I would do something he liked he would give me a ‘treat’. When I didn’t, he would punish me.
“I think he knew that I had a trauma, a fear of abandonment, so whenever he wanted to punish me he would disappear, he would leave.
“He perfected the art of manipulating women, whether it was with hypnosis, psychology or pick-up techniques and it’s a very dangerous combination.”
When they first met at a bar in Soho, London, back in September 2018, Juliana recalls Greliak not being “the kind of person I would be attracted to”.
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Later, he bombarded Juliana with messages telling her she was “the most interesting person I’ve met this year” and calling her “kind, caring, attentive and also beautiful.”
Juliana said: “You start getting attached and his lovebombing wasn’t just words, it was touch, he would hug me, hold hands with me.
“You don’t realise how much the body gets accustomed to that and needs that, so when I wouldn’t see him it was like I was having withdrawals.
I was so angry I told him ‘I do not want any kind of drug like that in my house, I don’t want to see you anymore ever again,’ but I couldn’t shake him off me.
Juliana Terlizzi
“At the same time, I didn’t want to have a relationship with him but he convinced me, ‘Let’s just give it a try’, which I eventually agreed to.”
Manipulative messages
By winter they were dating and Greliak – who worked as an usher at the Royal Albert Hall – began to change, becoming more dependent on her.
She recalled: “He would text me or call me crying, at two and three in the morning, saying, ‘I’m too drunk I want to see you’.
“These messages and calls got so constant that after time I would wake up at that time and worry about him. Like, ‘Oh my god, is he ok?’”
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Greliak regularly asked for money, claiming to be unable to afford food and once sent a photo of himself with a black eye, claiming he “cycled into a brick wall”.
While Juliana doubted the injury story, suspecting he got into a fight, she continued to send him money.
When Juliana’s flatmate found an empty bag of cocaine in a toiletry bag, she believed he planted it deliberately to cause tension with her housemates.
“I was so angry I told him ‘I do not want drugs like that in my house, I don’t want to see you ever again,’” Juliana recalled. “But I couldn’t shake him off.”
For help
FOR anyone who has been affected by the issues raised in Juliana’s story, UKTV has listed organisations who can help.
Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline
For anyone experiencing domestic or sexual violence and abuse we are here free and confidentially 24/7.
Visit: dsahelpline.org
Hourglass
Charity focused on ending the harm, abuse and exploitation of older people in the UK.
Visit: wearehourglass.org
National Domestic Abuse Helpline
A free 24 hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline and support site.
Visit: nationaldahelpline.org.uk
Refuge
Every two minutes someone turns to Refuge for support. Help keep our lifesaving services running such as our 44 refuges and 24/7 Helpline, to be a lifeline for women affected by domestic abuse.
Visit: refuge.org.uk
Surviving Economic Abuse
If your current or former partner has interfered with your money, financial situation or the things that money can buy in some way to limit your choices, this section of our website is for you.
Visit: survivingeconomicabuse.org/i-need-help
Women’s Aid
Women’s Aid is the national charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children. As a federation we provide life-saving services across England while building a future where domestic abuse is not tolerated.
Visit: womensaid.org.uk
Victim Support
Victim Support is an independent charity dedicated to supporting victims of crime and traumatic incidents in England and Wales.
Visit: victimsupport.org.uk
For more information on other charities and organisations who may be able to help visit: www.uktvplay.co.uk/viewer-support.
One evening in June 2019, she noticed Greliak was “visibly upset” and kept seeing the same female name flash on his phone. She messaged the woman on Facebook, who claimed to be “one of his girlfriends”.
Juliana recalled: “She said it’s not the first time he’s done that, he’s been in a relationship with three different girls… I broke up with him and he again continued to pursue me.”
He was living off me, pretty much I was his golden ticket. He wasn’t paying rent, he wasn’t paying for food for anything.
Juliana
Again she forgave him. It was one of many times she felt “emotionally worn down” by Greliak.
“Whenever I would indicate that I didn’t want to see him anymore then he would be very emotional and threaten to kill himself,” she said.
‘Golden ticket’
Feeling she “needed to help him”, Juliana became estranged from friends who struggled to understand why she stayed with Greliak.
When her housemates banned him from staying over, Juliana allowed Greliak, who claimed to be homeless, to sleep there on the provision he left before they woke up.
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Instead, she says “he purposelessly went to the bathroom and waited” for them to arise so they “knew he was inside [the house]”.
Juliana’s friends stage an intervention, telling her: “We can see you dying in front of us, the spark has gone, the optimism and energy you had is gone.”
But she didn’t feel she could leave him.
Juliana said. “He would play on me saying, ‘You’re the only person who can help me get my life in order. I need you.’”
By December 2019, Juliana was forced to move out of the shared house and Greliak moved in to her new flat.
She says: “He was living off me, pretty much I was his golden ticket. He wasn’t paying rent, he wasn’t paying for food for anything. I was frustrated that I was basically taking care of him.”
Rape boast
In February 2020, Greliak raped her after convincing her to take a large quantity of ketamine – leaving her “completely vulnerable [and] completely out of it” – and recorded the attack.
In the footage, Greliak can be heard mocking Juliana saying: “You’re literally so unaware, someone could just rob you or rape you and you wouldn’t even know what’s going on.”
Two months later, in April 2020, she broke up with him for stealing £300 from her and he messaged her: “What’s your dad’s WhatsApp number? I want to send him a video for his 80th birthday.”
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The chilling message triggered a disturbing memory, which led her to look through computer files and discover the footage from Greliak’s sickening attack.
In one part, he boasted: “I’m completely raping you while you’re asleep and unconscious and making a video of it as well.”
She reported him to the police but they couldn’t find him at his address, so Juliana trapped him by pretending she was moving to Brazil and arranging to meet him.
I think I was lucky to get out alive… I was lucky that he wasn’t able to manipulate the system like he’s been doing for years.
Juliana
She booked an Uber to pick him up and shared details with the police, who arrested him.
She recalls: “I was relieved, I said, ‘Oh my god, he’s going to be in jail. I’m free. There’s no way this guy is ever going to get in touch with me because he can’t.’”
‘Gut blow’
But, in what Juliana described as “a big blow to the gut”, Greliak was granted bail.
Juliana, who moved to a new apartment to avoid Greliak finding her, described the decision by the court as “appalling” because he “posed a high-risk danger to myself and other women”.
Knowing Greliak was on bail left her “exhausted” and battling thoughts of “giving up every single day”. The one thing that stopped her was knowing he could hurt others.
She added: “Look at the evidence, it was undeniable… and he still got bail. For eight months I didn’t even leave my apartment. I was under house arrest. ”
It took two years for Greliak to be sentenced. During that time, he had a Tinder profile and posted adverts offering in-person hypnotherapy sessions.
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In December 2021, he pleaded not guilty at Isleworth Crown Court.
In April 2022, Greliak, 33, of Highbury New Park, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for rape and assault. Previously, he pleaded guilty to theft and failure to comply with a Section 49 Notice – giving police his phone pin.
“I think I was lucky to get out alive,” Juliana says. “I was lucky that he wasn’t able to manipulate the system like he’s been doing for years.
“For two years, it was fight, fight, fight, to make sure he was held accountable, that the trial happened and to bring him to justice.
“It was constant. No sleeping. No going out. No life. After, I felt that finally, I could get my life back “
Juliana, who is still recovering from her ordeal, hopes sharing her story will help others to recognise relationship red flags.
“I knew he was a bad person, I just couldn’t get away,” she says.
“By showing every single gaslighting event and manipulation that he would use, I hope others will be able to see that behaviour and if they are in a situation like me, they will be able to identify that and have the strength to get out of it.
“The hardest part for me was getting out, I wanted to from the day I met him. Now I celebrate knowing that I got out, I’m alive and that’s the biggest point.”
A CPS spokesperson told the documentary: “We opposed bail twice – but ultimately decisions to grant bail are made by the court.
“We recognise this was a deeply distressing process for the victim and we thank her for assisting the prosecution, which meant Hubert Greliak could be brought to justice.”
The first episode of Red Flag airs at 10pm tonight on W and can be streamed after on UKTV Play. Juliana’s story features in next week’s episode.