Court: Hammer attack follows sex act cash demands

Mary Finnegan (31), of Manor Road, Maltby, shouted: "Give me your money" at the victim as she struck him around ten times, leaving him permanently scarred.

Finnegan was jailed for five years at Sheffield Crown Court on Tuesday after earlier admitting robbery.

The court heard she had known her victim - a 54-year-old man - for around three years and called at his home on a regular basis.

Mr Neil Coxon, prosecuting, said: "Sometime after six o'clock, the defendant attended [the victim's] home address and he greeted her by saying: 'I suppose you're here to make money out of me', and she confirmed that she was.

"There was a sexual service provided and a price was agreed of 10.

"He took out a roll of money, he estimates there was about £180, and paid the defendant with a £5 note and five pounds in coins."

Mr Coxon said the two of them carried on drinking for an hour before Finnegan went to the toilet.

"When she came back down, he felt a sharp pain to the top of his head which dazed him," Mr Coxon said.

"He looked around and saw the defendant with a hammer and she hit him again.

"He tried to defend himself. He does not know how many times he was hit but he estimates it was ten times."

It was not made clear in court if Finnegan fled with any money after the September 15 incident.

Her victim suffered a fractured skull and broken hand, and both have been permanently scarred.

The victim said: "When I go to sleep at night I always think of this incident."

Finnegan was arrested while making her way back to the victims house to check on him, Mr Coxon said. She told police she had taken heroin and had been drunk.

She accepts she hit him several times, he added. 

Ms Joy Merriam, mitigating,  said: "Until the age of 27, she led a fairly blameless and sheltered life.

"She looks somewhat older because of the toll of her chronic drug addiction.

"She feels shame and guilt and self-loathing for her actions on that day."

Finnegan sobbed in the dock as Judge Michael Slater jailed her for five years.

Judge Slater told her: "I think you are the first to realise how serious this offence is.

"You carried out what I regard as an opportunistic act upon him."

Judge Slater said a creditable explanation for Finnegan's actions would be that the frustrations she felt about her situation had exploded.

Mr Coxon offered no evidence on a count of grievous bodily harm and a not guilty verdict was returned.