Ambulance Worker Jailed for Attempted Murder of Boss Over Rota Dispute

An ambulance worker has been incarcerated after attempting to murder her supervisor in a “frenzied” hammer assault, which arose from an ongoing disagreement regarding shifts on a staff rota. Stacey Smith waited outside her boss’s residence in Tameside before launching the unprovoked attack on the morning of November 11, 2023. The 46-year-old subsequently sent a text message to a friend stating, “I’ve smashed her head in – Oopsie xx,” after leaving her victim with “serious head injuries,” according to police. Smith, who resides in Newton Heath, Manchester, was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to 20 years in prison, to be followed by a five-year licence period. Manchester Crown Court heard that she informed police of a disagreement with her manager concerning shift patterns, noting that their relationship had deteriorated since the Covid pandemic. During the attack outside her home at 05:30 GMT, she reportedly screamed at her boss and threatened to kill her. The court was told that Smith repeatedly struck her victim’s head with the hammer, inflicting serious injuries and fracturing her wrist as the victim tried to defend herself. The two individuals had been colleagues since 2017. Neighbours promptly came to the aid of the injured woman, administering first aid and placing the hammer in a plastic bag so it could later be forensically examined by police. Smith later texted a friend, writing: “I’ve done it – I’ve smashed her head in -Oopsie xx!” She also outlined intentions to “go on the run” in Liverpool. However, she eventually surrendered herself at a police station and was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. She also received a sentence for possessing an offensive weapon, an offense she had admitted, and was issued a restraining order prohibiting her from contacting the woman. Detective Constable Stephen McNee stated that a “violent woman had been take off the streets.” He added that Smith’s boss sustained life-changing physical injuries that “may heal but the mental trauma of the attack will stay with the victim for life.” Det Con McNee concluded, “I’d like to thank her for her bravery in supporting us with our investigation.” Correction on November 18th: This article’s headline originally described Stacey Smith as a medic and was amended the following morning to correctly refer to her as an ambulance worker.