Woman who texted friend ‘oopsie xx’ after trying to kill boss with a hammer jailed for 20 years

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An ambulance worker who texted her friend saying “oppsie xx!” after trying to kill her boss with a hammer has been jailed for 20 years.

Stacey Smith became “filled with rage after a prolonged row over work shift patterns” with the manager whom she had worked with since 2017, Greater Manchester Police said after her sentencing on Tuesday.

The 46-year-old waited outside her manager’s home in Tameside from 5:30am on 11 November last year before launching an “unprovoked and frenzied” hammer attack as she left for work, the force said.

Smith repeatedly hit her victim over the head with the weapon and “screamed” she was “going to kill her”, leaving her with serious head injuries and a broken wrist from trying to defend herself, according to police.

Smith then texted her friend to say: “I’ve done it. I’ve smashed her head in. Oppsie xx!”

While she told her friend that she would “go on the run” to Liverpool, Smith instead handed herself in to Ashton Police Station and was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

She told detectives that she had worked with her manager since 2017 but their relationship had deteriorated since the Covid pandemic and the attack followed a row over shift patterns, police said.

She was charged with attempted murder and two counts of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place, and on Tuesday was handed a 20-year sentence with a further five years on licence at Manchester Crown Court.

Smith, of Ascot Street, also received a whole-life restraining order banning her from contacting the victim, police said.

Detective Constable Stephen McNee said: “This was a particularly violent attack on the victim which left her with serious and life-changing injuries. Physically, injuries may heal but the mental trauma of the attack will stay with the victim for life. I’d like to thank her for her bravery in supporting us with our investigation.

“I’d also like to thank the local residents who came to the victim’s aid on the morning of the attack. They ensured initial first aid was given to the victim before emergency services arrived and also made sure that the hammer was covered in a plastic bag to maximise the forensic evidence we could take.

“We are pleased with today’s result, which has seen a violent woman taken off the streets, and we hope that this goes some way to helping the victim to come to terms with what has happened to her and allows her to heal.

“As a force, we are committed to locating, identifying and charging individuals who commit violent attacks such as this in Greater Manchester and we do everything in our power to investigate these incidents and bring those responsible to justice.”

Additional reporting by PA