An ambulance worker attacked her boss and attempted to murder her with a hammer during a ‘frenzied’ attack following a row over shift patterns, a jury has heard.
Stacey Smith, 46, attacked Michala Morton, her manager at the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) as she left her home in Dukinfield, Tameside, at around 5.30am on November 11.
Ms Morton was hit on the head as Smith ‘screamed that she was going to kill her’. She suffered a fractured wrist due to the unwarranted attack, reports Manchester Evening News.
Following the scuffle, Ms Morton attempted to wrestle the hammer from her, but Smith quickly dropped the hammer and walked away, leaving in her car. Ms Morton was subsequently taken to hospital after screaming out for help.
Jurors at Manchester Crown Court have been told that Smith, from Newton Heath, has pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent, but denies attempted murder.
Prosecuting, Hayley Bennett said that the attack came after Smith had harboured ‘resentment and hatred’ towards Ms Morton, an operations manager for NWAS.
Jurors were told that Ms Morton began to manage Ms Smith, an ambulance care assistant, in 2017 – she also managed Ms Smith’s wife, another NWAS worker.
Ms Bennett said: “On first impression, Ms Morton found Ms Smith to be a pleasant person, and even a potential friend. Their relationship deteriorated however around the time of Covid 19 and the pandemic.
“There was a need for drastic changes to the way NWAS worked. An argument ensued about shift patterns. Stacey Smith filed a formal grievance. The crux of the issue was Stacey Smith and her wife wished to work together and share non-working days.
“Allowances were made and it seemed as though the matter was at an end, but then the issue of shift patterns arose again.” Jurors heard that the issue went on for ‘several months’.
Ms Bennett claimed Smith and her wife were unable to attend the funeral of a regular patient in July 2022, as they had to work, which ‘fed the resentment’ they had towards her.
The same evening, Smith began ‘abusing’ Ms Morton on Facebook, claiming ‘she would never let this go’, the jury heard.
She was sent screenshots of the posts and soon reported them to NWAS. She requested that Smith and her wife be removed from her team, but the request was denied.
An investigation was later launched and it was decided that Smith and her wife would be ‘separated’, preventing them from working together, to ‘minimise the impact of their interviews’ on the service provided by NWAS.
Jurors were also told that Smith was said to be ‘furious’ about the decision.
Smith went off work for six months
Ms Bennet revealed that ‘concerns arose’ over Smith’s mental health, and ‘safeguarding action’ was taken so that she would be put on sick leave.
A report by occupational health reported ‘no concerns’ over Smith’s mental health.
Following Smith and her wife’s return to work – after being absent for six months – they joined Ms Morton’s team once again, with Ms Morton requesting they be moved. Her request was once again denied.
Jurors heard that in November 2023, Smith travelled to Cumbria with other NWAS staff including her wife.
On their return, Smith’s wife informed her that ‘she could not cope with Ms Morton anymore’ and she said she was ‘going to end her own life’. Smith confided in a friend, opening up on what her wife had said. Smith was said to have told her that ‘she could not have this’, and ‘blamed Ms Morton’.
“She wanted the situation to be resolved,” Ms Bennett said. Smith raised a complaint with NWAS and said ‘she felt that she and her wife were being targeted’. Ms Morton declined to speak with her due to the ongoing issues.
Smith was due to be spoken to by NWAS’ HR department. But days before that, she turned up at Ms Morton’s home and attacked her.
‘She screamed she was going to kill her’
Jurors heard that Smith called a friend from the scene, telling her that she was outside Ms Morton’s home and ‘couldn’t take it anymore’. Smith attacked Ms Morton as she left for work at around 5.30am on November 11.
She then attacked Ms Morton on the head with a hammer, causing her to fall. Ms Bennett said: “Stacey Smith was screaming at Ms Morton during the attack, calling her manager a bi***. She screamed that she was going to kill her. She was in a rage.”
In a bid to protect herself, Ms Morton raised her arm and was hit by the hammer, suffering a fractured wrist. As the pair struggled over the hammer, Smith walked away, dropping the weapon and drove off in her car.
Smith later allegedly sent messages to her friend ‘about what she had done’, and said she would ‘go on the run’ to Liverpool. But she was ‘talked down’ and handed herself in to police. Meanwhile Ms Morton was taken to hospital.
Smith was assessed by psychiatrists and spoke to them about the incident. Ms Bennett told the jury: “She [Smith] was very candid about her intent to kill Ms Morton, and how she wished she had.”
Smith, of Ascot Road, Newton Heath, denies attempted murder but has admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
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