Masked hammer raider left victim with 'life threatening' head injuries after bedroom terror

An armed intruder who attacked a couple with a hammer during a terrifyingearly-morning house raid has been jailed for over a decade.
Connor KellettConnor Kellett
Connor Kellett

Masked Connor Kellett smashed through the patio doors of a flat armed with a hammer and a baseball bat.Newcastle Crown Court heard the 22-year-old attacker caused "life threatening" head injuries to the male victim with a hammer blow and fractured the woman's collar bone when he used both weapons on her.Judge Robert Spragg sentenced Kellett, who carried out the invasion after drinking vodka to "drown his sorrows" and can remember little about it, to 10 years and nine months behind bars.The judge said Kellett poses a "significant risk of serious harm to the public" and told him: "You burst through their bedroom door with a mask on and struck the male complainant to the hammer, knocking him to the floor."His partner chased you and she was struck with the hammer and the baseball bat."Prosecutor Barry Robson told the court the victims had been in bed in the flat, in Houghton, on July 10 last year when they heard a "loud crash as if glass had been smashed" in the living room.He added: "The male complainant jumped out of bed and at the same time was able to see the bedroom door burst open."A male entered the room. His face was covered."He instantly saw the male complainant and raised his hand. What was in the raised hand was a hammer. The hammer was brought down on his head and he was knocked to the ground."The court heard the woman chased the attacker as he left the room and headed towards the front door.Mr Robson said: "He turned around and hit her with the hammer. She was hit on the head."She was instantly knocked to the ground. She saw the defendant had a black baseball bat and he hit her at least three times to the body."She was terrified, fearing she would be killed."The court heard Kellett ran from the house and left the hammer, which contained his DNA, behind.The couple were taken to hospital and the male victim had a fractured skull with intercranial bleeding, which was assessed as life threatening.The woman had a fractured collar bone and a head injury.Kellett, of Dunkirk Avenue, Houghton, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm and two offences of having offensive weapons.Richard Herrmann, defending, told the court: "It is when he abuses drink and drugs he presents a danger to the public."Mr Herrmann said Kellett has shown he has a "completely different side" while in custody on remand and has a bundle of references from staff and people who have known him personally in the past.He added: "He is determined to put his life right, to take his punishment, for the appalling crimes he committed, on the chin and change for the better."