Stoke Newington hammer attack thug said he had no regrets

A thug who subjected his next door neighbours to a horrific hammer attack while they were lying in bed has been jailed for five years.

Stuart Forrester, 48, smashed into Marian Cellmer’s flat before grabbing him by the throat and beating him with the weapon.

Mr Cellmer, who was in bed with his wife Danuta, thought he was dreaming – but woke to find Forrester raining down blows on August 4.

His wife cowered in terror as Forrester raised the hammer before bringing it down inches from her head, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard last Wednesday.

Forrester, who was living with and caring for pensioner Linda Short next door, believed the couple deliberately made noise in order to taunt him.

Abuse

He screamed abuse at his neighbours throughout the attack and then ran out of their flat, in Parklea Court, Durley Road, Stoke Newington when police were called.

It was the culmination of a bitter ongoing dispute and the couple claimed Forrester had a history of shouting abuse at them.

The father-of-one handed himself into Stoke Newington police station hours after the break-in, but told officers: “When I get out I will do it all over again. I have no regrets, he has been harassing me and Linda for years.”

Mr Cellmer was taken to hospital but did not suffer life-threatening injuries.

In a statement read to the court, the bricklayer told how he had been unable to return to work, causing financial difficulties, and still suffers headaches and flashbacks.

Mrs Cellmer now struggles to sleep and believes the attack has caused long-term damage to her mental health.

Teresa Brennan, defending Forrester, said: “It appears to be a build-up of small things coupled with the noise and it seems his motivation was particularly about Mrs Short and her ill-health.

“He accepts what he did that night was wholly wrong and he made those remarks to police in the heat of the moment.”

Forrester admitted a single count of aggravated burglary.