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| London hotel hammer attacks: Philip Spence guilty | London hotel hammer attacks: Philip Spence guilty |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A man who beat three sisters with a claw hammer in a London hotel while their children slept alongside them has been found guilty of attempted murder. | A man who beat three sisters with a claw hammer in a London hotel while their children slept alongside them has been found guilty of attempted murder. |
| Philip Spence, 32, bludgeoned the trio from the United Arab Emirates in the Cumberland Hotel, Marble Arch, on 6 April, Southwark Crown Court heard. | Philip Spence, 32, bludgeoned the trio from the United Arab Emirates in the Cumberland Hotel, Marble Arch, on 6 April, Southwark Crown Court heard. |
| Spence had admitted the attack, but denied attempted murder. | Spence had admitted the attack, but denied attempted murder. |
| One of his victims was hit with such force her skull split open. She was left with just 5% brain function. | |
| Lost eye | Lost eye |
| Ohoud Al-Najjar, 34, was repeatedly hit as her nine-year-old nephew hid under the sheets next to her in bed, the prosecutor Simon Mayo QC said. | Ohoud Al-Najjar, 34, was repeatedly hit as her nine-year-old nephew hid under the sheets next to her in bed, the prosecutor Simon Mayo QC said. |
| She survived the attack, but despite undergoing emergency neurosurgery she can no longer speak and lost one eye. | She survived the attack, but despite undergoing emergency neurosurgery she can no longer speak and lost one eye. |
| Her sisters Khulood, 36, and Fatima, 31, were also left with life threatening injuries and are still having medical treatment. | Her sisters Khulood, 36, and Fatima, 31, were also left with life threatening injuries and are still having medical treatment. |
| The family was visiting London on holiday. | The family was visiting London on holiday. |
| In an impact statement, Fatima said seeing her sister Ohoud "breaks my heart.". | |
| "She is now confined to a hospital bed for the rest of her life and unable to communicate, eat, see, move," she said. | |
| "She can only squeeze my hand; she is a living dead sister." | |
| Khulood and Fatima said they had been medically retired from their jobs because of their injuries, saying Spence "took away our futures". | |
| Spence, from Harlesden in north-west London, was also found guilty of conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary, as was Thomas Efremi, 57, from Islington. | Spence, from Harlesden in north-west London, was also found guilty of conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary, as was Thomas Efremi, 57, from Islington. |
| Judge Anthony Leonard QC told Spence he could face life in prison for the attacks. | Judge Anthony Leonard QC told Spence he could face life in prison for the attacks. |
| 'Blood everywhere' | 'Blood everywhere' |
| The court heard the women had left their hotel rooms unlocked on the night of the attack to allow a fourth sister to return. | The court heard the women had left their hotel rooms unlocked on the night of the attack to allow a fourth sister to return. |
| Spence was spotted by one of the sisters rifling through handbags at about 01:30 BST. | |
| He then attacked Khulood as she shared a bed with her two young daughters, and turned his hammer on her sister Fatima, leaving them both unconscious, the court heard. | He then attacked Khulood as she shared a bed with her two young daughters, and turned his hammer on her sister Fatima, leaving them both unconscious, the court heard. |
| The fourth sister Sheika Al-Mheiri described to the jury how she returned to find her sisters injured on the floor with "blood everywhere". | The fourth sister Sheika Al-Mheiri described to the jury how she returned to find her sisters injured on the floor with "blood everywhere". |
| Spence, a drug addict, ran from the scene with a suitcase containing iPads, gold jewellery and mobile phones. | |
| He dumped the claw hammer just outside the four-star hotel. | He dumped the claw hammer just outside the four-star hotel. |
| Cdr Mak Chishty, from the Met Police, said Spence's attack had "changed the lives of a family forever". | Cdr Mak Chishty, from the Met Police, said Spence's attack had "changed the lives of a family forever". |
| He said: "The level of violence Spence chose to use was extraordinary, and completely unnecessary for him to steal, as he had set out to do that night." | He said: "The level of violence Spence chose to use was extraordinary, and completely unnecessary for him to steal, as he had set out to do that night." |