A woman whose son was violently attacked in his own home has spoken out as the man was responsible was jailed.
Jay Hemsley was jailed earlier this month for eight years and ten months after pleading guilty to wounding, strangulation and fraud. Leeds Crown Court heard how he had befriended a man who was living at the same supported accommodation before he demanded money from him on December 7 last year.
Evil Hemsley, 27, attacked when the man refused and stabbed and strangled him before taking his bank card.
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The man was left with significant injuries and his mum said he "crawled into bed" and only managed to alert staff the next day. He was taken to Leeds General Infirmary for treatment, which was where the woman - who does not want to be named - saw him.
She said her son was "unrecognisable" and his face was "like a football." The woman said she was made aware of the attack by police but was not given any information at the time as her son had not yet given a statement. She said: "They told me he was at Leeds General Infirmary and told me not to worry but he had been attacked.
"I didn't know what was going on."
The woman said she saw photos of the scene and described there being "blood everywhere."
She told LeedsLive: "He [Hemsley] wasn't a friend. He [her son] had only known him for two weeks. He was someone who had befriended him and manipulated him to get money out of him."
The woman said her son has told her he will not trust anybody again. She said: "He is a vulnerable person... It seems to me he really targeted him." She said it was "just heartbreaking" when she first saw her son. She said: "He's quiet anyway, his mental health wasn't good before this and this has just set him back a long time.
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"He doesn't want to talk about it...he's really clammed up. It's really heartbreaking to see your child like this. Even though he's grown up he's still my son. He is the oldest of four sons and when they all saw him they were just shocked...that someone could just do this to someone for no reason other than they wouldn't give him any more money."
The woman said both she and her son suffer from flashbacks and although he has now moved, he is not comfortable getting the bus so if he goes to see her someone has to pick him up and take him home. She said he also has post-traumatic stress from the incident.
It was said Hemsley was due to stand trial in May but pleaded guilty in March. The woman said: "I was glad when he changed his plea. I was just glad it didn't go to trial and he didn't have to experience or go through it all again."
The woman said she did not expect Hemsley to get the length of sentence he did and even questioned if it would be suspended. She said: "I kind of got it in my head the prisons are full and people do get way with lighter sentences and because of that situation I kind of got it in my head he would end up - not getting away with it - but you know...
"I even said to the police officer 'You don't think he'll get a suspended sentence do you?' I prepared myself he may not get as long as he should get. I was quite pleased with the sentence at the time."
She said she hopes the family can now put the incident behind them but said: "I will worry and I've already started to think about him getting his own place because he is almost at a stage where he is going to be living independently again."
Following the sentence, Detective Constable Toby Rodgers, of Leeds District Crime Team, said: “We welcome the sentencing of Jay Hemsley for what was a violent attack which left his victim with a number of serious facial injuries. Hemsley put his victim through a terrifying ordeal and on arrest displayed no remorse for the injures he caused.
"We hope this sentencing will now bring the victim some closure as he continues to recover from this ordeal."
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