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Ex-lover gets life for horrific hammer attack

from Cathy (cathyvpreece@aol.com)

Ex-lover gets life for horrific hammer attack

Nov 28 2003

South London Press

FORMER boyfriend who tried to batter his estranged partner to death with a hammer because he wanted to control her was jailed for life this week.

Michael Hibbert, 40, repeatedly bludgeoned ex-lover Mary Caulfield and then told her "you're fine" when she begged for an ambulance.

Miss Caulfield managed to stagger on to her balcony screaming for help but Hibbert dragged her back in to continue the attack.

A friend who arrived at the flat found Miss Caulfield lying wrapped in a bloody duvet on the bedroom floor of her Lambeth home. She spent nine days in hospital, needing 11 stitches in her head and a plate inserted to repair a shattered bone in her left forearm.

Hibbert was convicted of attempted murder by an Old Bailey jury after a four-day trial in July.

Judge David Paget told Hibbert on Monday: "At your trial you admitted striking Mary Caulfield three times with a hammer. But what concerns me is that you tried to minimise what you had done and said you used 'a very small hammer'.

"You did not call an ambulance."

Hibbert had denied trying to kill her and claimed he lashed out in frustration when she ignored his advice about caring for their children.

The couple had been in an "on-off" relationship for a number of years, but they split up in 1999 after having two daughters together. The failed in an attempt to rekindle their relationship in September last year.

Miss Caulfield had been dozing in bed on February 18 this year with one of her daughters when Hibbert suddenly appeared in the room.

The court heard Hibbert went berserk when Miss Caulfield tried to leave the room.

Lisa Wilding, prosecuting, described how Hibbert picked up a hammer.

She said: "The blows came quickly and were heavy. Miss Caulfield was terrified and thought she was going to die."

The court was told Hibbert had wanted to control Miss Caulfield and the way she brought up the children.

Hibbert, of Black Prince Road, Kennington, had denied attempted murder.

(posted 7426 days ago)

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