Breightmet man attacked escort, 23, on Crossdale Road

Connor Phelps, 25, arranged for the 23-year-old woman to join him at his flat in Breightmet via text messages with an agency in the early hours of Sunday, May 7 this year.

Having been driven over to the flat on Crossdale Road by a friend, Manchester Crown Court heard how the woman did not at first think she was in any danger, though Phelps had failed to pay a £20 deposit.

Alaric Bassano, prosecuting, said: “She checked his telephone number which had previous been used in connection with the agency and as there were no bad reviews she waived the deposit.”

But on arrival she then asked for extra cash to cover her travel expenses and it quickly emerged that Phelps, a crack cocaine user who had last used the Class A drug the previous day, had no money at all to pay her with.

The attack took place on Crossdale Road, Breightmet (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Bassano said: “In such circumstances a withholding of her services was quite inevitable as indeed was an argument as to why he had caused her to attend his house when he didn’t have the means to pay.”

An argument erupted between the pair and the escort, fearing for her safety, sprayed Phelps with pepper spray.

Phelps then hit her with a photo-frame and the pair fought on the floor.

The escort grabbed a kitchen knife to try and stop Phelps from using it, but he disarmed her and used it to stab her several times.

Mr Bassano said: “During the attack, the defendant told her ‘shut up if you don’t want to die.’”

The case was heard at Manchester Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

A neighbour was woken by the woman’s screams, and she managed to escape and get to hospital, while police were called and Phelps was arrested soon afterwards.

Phelps, who has two previous convictions for three offences, admitted to police officers that he had become a heavy user of crack cocaine and had previously used escorts “without incident.”

Though originally charged with attempted murder, he eventually pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, which the prosecution decided was acceptable.

Gwen Henshaw, defending, argued that Phelps was entitled to credit for having admitted his guilty and said he had been deeply remorseful ever since.

She said: “He has acknowledged and recoginises that which the author of the pre-sentence report says about his victim’s vulnerability.”

She also pointed out that though “concerning” this had been a “chaotic”, not planned attack.

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Ms Henshaw said: “This does not have the complexion or the feel of an incident in which he had lured her to his flat with the intention of doing her wrong.”

Judge Patrick Field accepted that Phelps had shown remorse but reminded the court that the argument started after he invited the woman to his house knowing he had nothing to pay her with.

He said: “I do not accept that you were ever in a position to pay for those services, all the evidence points the other way.”

He added: “Your actions were violent, out of control and whole disproportionate.”

Judge Field sentenced Phelps to a total of 54 months in prison.