A mother and son have been sentenced to a total of 10 and a half years in prison after carrying out a ‘vicious’ and ‘unprovoked’ hammer assault on a family friend.
Laura and Charlie Haynes attacked Stacey Blackman outside her home in Folkestone, Kent. The pair appeared at her doorstep only to ambush her with a hammer, initiating a relentless attack that resulted in a fractured jaw and the loss of several teeth.
As Ms. Blackman attempted to shield herself by curling up, the Haynes duo dragged her into the bathroom. There, they submerged her head underwater, leaving her terrified that she might drown.
During the brutal encounter, 19-year-old Charlie repeatedly struck Ms. Blackman in the face while she sought respite by resting her head on the toilet.
After their arrest the following day, both Laura and Charlie denied any wrongdoing. However, a jury at Canterbury Crown Court found them guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent in February, after a unanimous verdict.
The violent assault left Ms. Blackman with severe injuries, including a fracture to her left upper jaw, the loss of eight teeth, and numerous bruises and cuts around her mouth.
Following the assault on the morning of June 1 2024, the mother and son fled and took the hammer with them, washed it, and stashed it in a cupboard under the sink.
The prosecution said the attack was an act of revenge, but the motivations were unclear.
Pictured: Mother and son Charlie and Laura Haynes, who have been jailed after they attacked a family friend with a hammer
The pair, from Folkestone, were sentenced on Friday at Canterbury Crown Court
Prosecutor Allister Walker described how Ms Haynes gave her son instructions as he beat Ms Blackman, and made comments such as, ‘Where’s your boyfriend now?’
He read the court a statement written by Ms Blackman, in which she said: ‘I used to feel safe in my home.
‘I’m still physically suffering due to the attack.
‘I was beaten so badly that eight teeth were knocked out of my mouth, and I need further dental treatment.
‘This treatment isn’t covered by the NHS, and I am told it will cost £20,000, including bone grafts.’
‘It has impacted my self-confidence. I hate looking in the mirror as the scars are a reminder of the assault.
‘I am not the same person I was before this happened.’
She added: ‘Laura was my friend. This was not a random attack.’
Mr Walker said that there was ‘a significant degree of planning and premeditation’ by the pair.
Defending both Charlie, now 22, and his mother, Nicholas Hamblin said they both were of previous good character.
He told the court that Ms Haynes cares for her 14-year-old twins, but also for her mother, who suffers from early-onset dementia.
‘Charlie has, in the pre-sentence report, spoken of regret for attending the home and what happened thereafter,’ Mr Hamblin said. ‘He was 19 at the time, so an immature young man.’
Mr Hamblin added that Charlie has suffered from anxiety.
He said that as a single mother, Ms Haynes’ two girls would have to be rehoused and her pets re-homed.
He added: ‘A friend of over 25 years describes her as a devoted mother and a kind and compassionate person.
‘She is sincerely sorry for how things unfolded, and said it was the biggest mistake of her life.
Laura Haynes (pictured) gave her son instructions as he beat Ms Blackman
‘It’s my submission that there is every hope this young man and his mother will never trouble the court again.’
The pair, from Folkestone at the time of the assault but more recently living in Ashford, were sentenced on Friday at Canterbury Crown Court.
Recorder Michael Turner described the attack as ‘vicious, unprovoked and sustained’.
Jailing Charlie for five years and Laura for five-and-a-half, he said: ‘It’s difficult to see your motivation for such an out-of-control, violent assault, and it’s unsurprising that, as said in the impact statement, Ms Blackman has continued to suffer not only physical injuries but also from the psychological impacts of them.
‘Ms Blackman was a victim who was obviously vulnerable due to her personal circumstances.
‘I have taken into account your respective care-giving responsibilities, which in each case are significant, Laura, in particular, the twins for whom you are the sole carer.
‘At the end of the day, this was an extremely serious assault that was completely unprovoked, on a defenceless, vulnerable woman early in the morning.’
