Knife-attack pair jailed

Drug-users targeted woman in her home

An evil couple who tortured a terrified young mother during a vicious hour-long interrogation in her own home were behind bars today.

Eamonn Seary (44) and his 39-year old girlfriend Deborah Hidderley, both of Egerton Street, Oldham, stabbed the woman three times, gagged her with a T-shirt and threatened to break her fingers as they demanded information about a drug dealer.

Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, heard how during the incident last September, Seary stabbed victim Lisa Richards (36) three times in the leg with a 4in-bladed kitchen knife taken from her Middleton Road flat in Chadderton.

Hidderley then helped gag Miss Richards as she lay face down on the floor of her hallway, telling Seary: “Strangle her and make sure she passes out but don’t kill her.”

The two, both high on drugs, then searched the flat and stole a haul of jewellery from the woman, leaving her bleeding.

The pair admitted robbery. Seary was given an indeterminate prison sentence while Hidderley was jailed for eight years.

Seary must serve at least four-and-a-half years before being considered for parole.

Inquiries revealed Seary and Hidderley were seasoned criminals with a string of previous convictions.

Seary, had a history of burglary, wounding and robbery, and during the 1980s was sentenced to 10 years for kicking and stabbing victims to steal property.

Hiddereley has 34 previous convictions, including five for assaults causing actual bodily harm.

Nicola Wells, prosecuting, said: “The complainant spent a week in hospital.

“The three stab wounds required 12 stitches. She had bruising to her neck and chin and had cuts to her hands where she tried to grabbed the knife.”

Passing sentence, Judge Jonathan Foster QC, said: “This is a dreadful case committed by two seasoned criminals.”