A VIOLENT robber who smashed a shop worker over the head with a hammer 10 times was today jailed for 12 years.

James McMurdy, 40, carried out the sickening attack on 63-year-old Senga Houston after he had grabbed £500 from the till.

Glasgow Times:

At the High Court in Glasgow judge Lord Mulholland told McMurdy: “What you have done was nothing short of barbaric – an act of pure evil.”

The court heard that after grabbing the cash McMurdy hit Senga over the head.

Then as she cowered with her hands over her head to protect herself, cowardly McMurdy pulled her hands away and struck her over the head another nine times.

She suffered multiple fractures to her skull and injury to her brain. She had to undergo multiple operations and now suffers from depression, post traumatic stress disorder and has little or no peripheral vision.

Lord Mulholland told McMurdy that, but for his guilty plea he would have jailed him for 18 years.

He also ordered McMurdy to be monitored on licence for five years after his release from prison and told him: “Her life has been changed forever. You have shown no remorse.”

McMurdy raided the store in Catrine, East Ayrshire desperate for cash as he faced eviction from his flat.

There was horrific CCTV footage of the November 2017 attack which left the 63 year-old with “life changing” injuries.

She may need medical care for the rest of her life.

McMurdy, who was represented by defence counsel John McElroy, pled guilty to robbery and attempted murder The tattooed thug, who already has a history of violence, showed no emotion as he was led away to begin his sentence.

Glasgow Times:

Senga had worked at the Premier Convenience store in Catrine for around eight years.

She was there alone around 2.40pm last November 5 when McMurdy came in through the back of the shop.

He was clutching a hammer and a knife with his face covered with a piece of bedsheet.

McMurdy moved Senga towards the counter and demanded she open the till.

He eventually stuffed around £500 into his pocket.

The CCTV footage of the horrific attack was played in court at an earlier hearing.

McMurdy refused to look at the screens as it was played.

Prosecutor Liam Ewing said: “He placed both hands around the hammer, drawing it above his head before striking her causing her to fall to the ground.

“She attempted to cover her head with her hands, butMcMurdy moved them away and struck her a further nine times with the hammer.”

He fled, and a shopper found Senga lying in a pool of blood.

McMurdy was arrested and confessed. A blood-stained hammer with Senga's DNA on it, a knife and £485 in cash was found in his flat.

Mr Ewing: “He stated that after he had the money out of the till, Senga Houston said his name which caused him to strike her with the hammer.

“He said he did not mean it and that he just wanted to knock her out to shut her up.”

McMurdy claimed he was unaware how many times he had smacked the shop worker – but thought it was only twice.