Midwife jailed for hammer attack

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A student midwife has been jailed after admitting attacking her former boyfriend's mother with a claw hammer after the relationship broke down.

Heather Louise Hughes hit Wendy Owen several times on the head with a claw hammer, Mold Crown Court heard.

She had gone to Mrs Owen's home with the hammer hidden in her bag and attacked the 50-year-old nurse as she bent to put on her shoes.

Hughes, who had been living in Denbigh, was jailed for 14 months for wounding.

The court heard how Hughes had wrongly blamed Mrs Owen for encouraging her son to start a relationship with another woman who he had met at a birthday party.

Hughes, who worked for Denbighshire council, had been in a relationship with Sion Owen since August 2005, but the couple had broken up in November 2008, the judge heard.

On learning he had a new girlfriend, Hughes was said to have suffered depression and believed Mrs Owen had encouraged the new relationship.

She genuinely feared that she was going to die David Mainstone, prosecuting

The court heard she went to Mrs Owen's home and was invited in and the pair chatted, with the older woman speaking to her about getting over a failed relationship.

As Mrs Owen left the room and bent to put on her shoes, Hughes attacked her "like a woman possessed" striking her seven or eight times on the head with the hammer.

David Mainstone, prosecuting, said Mrs Owen felt a heavy blow to the back of her head like someone had thrown a heavy stone at her.

"She realised that she had to get some strength. When she turned she saw the defendant standing in the kitchen with a claw hammer above her head," he said.

He said Hughes came at her again and struck her to the front of the head.

"Mrs Owen was in excruciating pain and turned to try and get away but she did not want to turn her back to her."

Despite Mrs Owen screaming and begging for the attack to stop, Hughes continued to hit her, the court heard.

"She genuinely feared that she was going to die. She felt blood trickling down her face and going into her eyes which affected her ability to defend herself," the prosecutor said.

It must have been apparent to you that you could have caused her devastating, permanent brain injury or worse Mr Recorder John Jenkins QC

The judge heard how the blows came to an abrupt stop and Hughes said, "Oh my God, what have I done?" and gave Mrs Owen a cushion to stem the bleeding before ringing an ambulance.

Medical staff found seven lacerations on Mrs Owen's head which needed stitches.

The attack in January came a day after Hughes discovered her former boyfriend had a new girlfriend.

The judge, Mr Recorder John Jenkins QC told Hughes: "This is a tragic case. You lost control of yourself completely.

"You blamed his mother for not taking your side as you saw it and encouraging the relationship with the other woman," he said.

"It must have been apparent to you that you could have caused her devastating, permanent brain injury or worse.

"She was bleeding profusely and believed that she might die," the judge said.

In a victim impact statement Mrs Owen told how she suffered flashbacks, was unable to sleep, was receiving counselling and had been unable to return to work.