North-east woman: ‘I thought hammer attacker would kill me’

A woman who was subjected to a terrifying assault involving a hammer today told how she thought her smirking attacker was going to kill her.

Charlene Whyte, who is known as Shelly, spoke out after Thomas Chesterton, a close friend who she had thought of as a brother, was convicted by a jury of the horrific and sustained assault on her which left her with a bruised, bloodied and swollen face as well as a fractured finger.

Another woman, Charley Ironside, 24, also admitted her role in the attack, punching her in the head and seizing her by the hair at an address in Peterhead on June 14.

Chesterton, 26, was on trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where the jury took around two hours to find him guilty of the “disturbing” attack which involved presenting a knife and hammer at her, forcing her to put her hands on a table, threatening her and repeatedly striking her hands with a hammer to her severe injury.

He also repeatedly seized her by the hair and repeatedly punched her in the head.

Speaking of the ordeal which has left her scared to leave the house, Shelly, 34, said: “I trusted him. I trusted him like he was my brother.

“This went on for God knows how long. It felt like a lifetime.

“I said ‘I’ve never done anything wrong to you’. I just couldn’t get my brain around why he had turned.

“He put my hands on the table and he said ‘you’ve got two choices, either get your fingers broken or I’m going to cut them off’.

“He went for my right hand first. It was either getting them cut off or getting hit by a hammer. I said just go for the hammer.

“They were laughing. It’s not like they were doing it on the spur of the moment. They were enjoying it.

“I genuinely thought they were going to kill me. I’m still terrified. I won’t go out.

“When I close my eyes I just see the smirk on his face. The two of them should be locked up for good.”

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Following the jury’s verdict Sheriff Andrew Miller told Chesterton: “The ladies and gentlemen of the jury have convicted you of assault to severe injury. This offence can only be regarded as extremely serious and the circumstances described in the evidence are concerning and indeed disturbing.

“I see no alternative but a significant sentence of imprisonment in due course in relation to this matter.”

Chesterton, who was represented in court by solicitor Mike Monro, had also earlier pled guilty to a charge of wilfully or recklessly damaging a door by repeatedly striking it.

Sheriff Miller deferred sentence on Chesterton, of HMP Grampian, and also Ironside, of Tullochgorum Gardens, Longside, until next month for reports and remanded them both in custody.