TWO drug addicts have been jailed for almost 20 years following a violent M-Cat attack on a stranger, which left her with bleeding on the brain.
The victim went to a flat with the pair – who she had never met before – to take the drug, and was "horrifically" assaulted when she refused to hand over more cash.
While on bail for that offence, Deborah Williams, 45, of Albion House, then tried to rob an elderly ex-docker as he used a cash machine in Freeman Street, Grimsby Crown Court heard.
She and fellow drug user Ashley Davis, 35, of Garibaldi House, both denied a charge of robbing the 43-year-old woman between March 1 and 4 this year.
But they were convicted by a jury, and their relationship was described as "destructive" by the judge who sentenced them to lengthy stretches in jail.
The court heard that their victim spent nine days in hospital with bleeding on the brain
Never having met Davis or Williams before, she went to Davis' flat and they all took significant amounts of M-Cat, a white powder also known as mephedrone.
When she refused to hand over more money for drugs, she was subjected to a "prolonged, sustained and horrific attack", the court was told.
Davis – who first took drugs aged 12 and then heroin aged 15 – was sentenced to 12 years concurrently for robbery and a charge of grievous bodily harm.
Williams was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison for robbery and a separate offence of attempting to rob a 79-year-old Cleethorpes man.
Prosecuting, Andrew Bailey said the ex-dock worker suffered a shoulder injury as he held on tight to the money he withdrew from the cash machine.
Mr Bailey said: "He was quite strong and was not going to let go of his hard-earned money."
After seeing CCTV footage of her preying on the man on August 12, Judge Mark Bury said: "There was a struggle on the floor of a busy Grimsby street as people were going by.
"He was stronger than you thought and was able to keep hold of the money and you."
Williams was arrested and later claimed she was taking the money for sex services given to the man.
But Judge Bury said it was a false accusation and "quite outrageous behaviour".
"The fact you wanted money for drugs is no excuse," he told Williams. "Your relationship with Ashley Davis was destructive."
Judge Bury accepted there was some "coercion" in the attack in the flat.
That victim had moved to Devon but continued to suffer panic attacks and feel "haunted", the court heard. She also had difficulty walking.
Representing Williams, Craig Lowe said she had a long-term drug habit.
He said: "It shows the depths to which she has fallen to obtain drugs."
For Davis, Wendy Foster said he had been a drug addict for many years, smoking cannabis since he was 12 years old and taking heroin from the age of 15.
Following the case, Detective Constable Maxine Thorne, of Humberside Police, said of the attack in the flat: "This was a vicious, sustained attack on a vulnerable female who already had numerous health problems.
"She was so much in fear of the two defendants that she moved to another part of the country as soon as she was discharged from hospital.
"She has been extremely brave in travelling back to Grimsby for the trial and is still in poor health.
"She is delighted with the outcome and very grateful to all who have been involved in the prosecution of Ashley Davis and Deborah Williams."
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