Violent alcoholic from Halifax who attacked disabled step-dad is jailed

Anna Benages’ campaign of violence against 44-year-old Peter Davy culminated in a sustained attack with a plank of wood and a claw hammer after she had drunk six litres of cider.

Mr Davy said Benages, who had also beaten him with the same piece of wood just four days earlier, suddenly “flipped” and launched another attack on him as he sat on the sofa at his home in Backhold Drive, Siddal.

Bradford Crown Court heard today (Friday) that the complainant, who had problems with mobility, was repeatedly hit with the plank, but then noticed that the blows felt different and realised Benages was striking his head with a claw hammer.

Prosecutor Claire Larton said Mr Davy felt extreme pain and the next thing he remembered was being in hospital.

Mr Davy suffered cuts to the back of his head which needed stitches as well as severe bruising to his legs and body and two black eyes.

The court heard the complainant suffered bruising to his arms as he tried to shield his head and a doctor told him he could have bled to death if he had been left in that state.

Benages, 32, of Lane Ends Terrace, Halifax, pleaded guilty to two charges of unlawful wounding in relation to the attacks in April this year and a further offence of assault following a similar attack with a piece of wood from July last year.

The court heard that when police arrived at Mr Davy’s house in relation to the first attack in April Benages became abusive and spat in the face of a male officer.

Despite Benages’ behaviour her barrister Jayne Beckett revealed that Mr Davy had been in contact with her client while she was on remand.

Mrs Beckett said Benages’ truly awful personal history had led to her entrenched mental health and alcohol difficulties, but while on remand she had been able to withdraw from alcohol and all forms of medication including anti-depressants.

“She is now very different from the person she mutates into when she drinks six or seven litres of cider,” submitted Mrs Beckett.

The court heard that Benages had previous convictions for violence and in 2006 she was jailed for three years after she bit off part of a woman’s tongue during an attack in a nightclub.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC accepted that Benages had an appalling, sad and tragic personal history, but he said she was also a very dangerous individual.

“Your changes of mood from passivity to violence are truly, as Mr Davy knows only too well, terrifying,” he told Benages.

The judge decided that the danger posed by Benages meant she should be subject to an extended period of licence of five years.

“When you are released you will be subject to an extended term of rigorous intervention and help,” the judge told her.