Neighbour slid down drainpipe to escape after what this woman did to him

A woman left her neighbour covered in blood after battering him with a hammer in his own home. The victim had to flee his flat by climbing out of his window and sliding down a drainpipe after the vicious assault by Hannah Smith who lived in the same unit.

Last year, Hannah Smith and Connor Morris dragged John Ennis from a communal area of their apartment block into his bedroom before assaulting him so badly that he was left drifting in and out of consciousness with injuries “all over his body”.

He feared that he was going to die as a result of the incident and spent hours out cold before waking up covered in blood. The motivation for the shocking attack however remains unclear, the ECHO reports.

Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Friday, February 28, that John Ennis had lived at the address on Belmont Road in Anfield for several years and was said to have been in “poor health”, suffering from conditions including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. At around 2am on August 16, the 55-year-old was returning to his flat when he found his downstairs neighbour Smith, aged 30, by the communal entrance.

Philip Astbury, prosecuting, described how she was in the company of two men, including Morris, at the time and told the victim “f***ing windows been smashed”. Mr Ennis did not respond however, and continued walking down the hallway towards his unit.

But he was then grabbed from behind and fell to the floor, at which stage he was repeatedly punched and kicked. He was thereafter dragged upstairs to his flat, where there was a “significant amount of damage” to his “wide open” front door.

Mr Ennis was thrown onto his bed before Smith struck him to body with a hammer numerous times. Morris, another resident of the flats, and the second male were also present in his bedroom at the time of the assault.

The complainant then began to lose consciousness, but recalled being further dragged into his living room by both defendants. Mr Ennis subsequently awoke at around 5am “covered in blood and in a significant amount of pain”, having suffered a broken nose and a series of cuts and bruises.

Believing his assailants were still present downstairs, he climbed out of his kitchen window and descended a drainpipe in order to seek help from another neighbour. Police officers found him lying in a hallway with a bloodied nose upon attending the scene and arrested Smith and Morris in her apartment, from which they seized the hammer in question.

Mr Ennis was said to have sustained injuries “all over his body”, including to the face, back and legs, as a result of the attack. In a statement which was read out to the court on his behalf, he said he “still bears scars” and added: “The injuries I sustained that day were not merely physical but left an indelible mark on my life.

“That terrible event put me in fear of losing my life. The violence was something I’ve never experienced. It frightened me so much that I’ve not been able to go out of my front door. My life is now a state of persistent fear.”

Under interview, Smith claimed to detectives that she had been “set up” by Mr Ennis. Morris meanwhile said he had been in her company “at all times”, with the 31-year-old adding that he “hadn’t even seen the complainant after 11pm”.

Smith has a total of 21 previous convictions for 48 offences, including burglary, assault, theft, criminal damage, possession of drugs and motoring offences. She was also on licence in relation to a nine-year sentence for aggravated burglary at the time of her assault upon Mr Ennis.

Jason Smith, defending, said on her behalf: “For virtually all of her life she has been blighted by drug and alcohol abuse, serving sentence after sentence. She had been resettled following her release from Styal on licence.

“By all accounts, Hannah Smith was doing well. She was keeping out of trouble. She was dealing with her past issues. On this particular night, things built up for whatever reason.

“Throughout the hours of that early morning, Hannah Smith was contacting the police with more than three phone calls complaining about the conduct of others and clearly getting distressed. When the police eventually called, she was under the impression that they had been called to take a complaint from her.

“What is clear is that she became involved and took part in an attack upon the complainant. Whatever the background, there can be no explanation that can give any form of mitigation to what took place.”

“She is ashamed. She is bitterly disappointed that she has again engaged in conduct that has put her liberty out of her control. All she wishes is to have the opportunity again to come into the community and make the progress that she had been making.

“That is the target for her. The attempts she had made have now disappeared. She has to start afresh. She has been told in Styal that they will look, as soon as this matter is concluded, to address her future release and the steps that are needed so that she does not commit any further offences.”

Morris’ criminal record meanwhile shows eight convictions for nine offences, including a 26-month prison term for possession of drugs with intent to supply in December 2022. His counsel Kate Morley added: “Mr Morris does not make any excuses for his part in these offences.

“He regrets his actions. He has never behaved in that way before. He is not someone who ordinarily resorts to violence. He was not in a good mental place at the time. He has found it difficult to accept that he took part in this incident. The offence is completely out of character.

“Mr Morris has had a difficult upbringing. He had been in the care system since the age of six. There was a gap in his offending between the ages of 17 and 26. He had a settled life. He was working on a farm and with children in care. He is a roofer by trade. Once released from custody, he wants a fresh start.”

Smith, who appeared via video link to HMP Styal wearing a black Missoni t-shirt, pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and violent disorder and was jailed for 43 months. Morris, who wore a blue Montirex t-shirt and sported a crucifix around his neck while appearing from HMP Liverpool, admitted the same charges and was locked up for 37 months.

They were also handed restraining orders preventing them from contacting Mr Ennis for 10 years. Sentencing, Judge Sarah O’Brien said: “This was a joint enterprise between you.

“It is clear that these offences have had a serious impact on the victim, both physically and mentally. The incident resulted in serious physical injury and serious distress. There was a weapon used in the incident. The attack was, in part, in the victim’s home. This was a victim with vulnerabilities.

The judge told Smith: “You have had long standing problems with alcohol and drug abuse. You had been resettled after your release, and you were doing well and keeping out of trouble. There were clearly some issues on that evening, but that is no excuse. You are ashamed of yourself and remorseful.”

Turning to Morris, Judge O’Brien added: “I accept that there are no offences on your record for violence. You regret your actions. You have never behaved in that way before. You were not in a good place mentally at the time. The offence was out of character. It is clear that you are able to live a law abiding life in the community.”

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