A drug dealer who walked free from court went on to set up another cannabis farm and almost murdered his ex-partner's mum. Michael Moon was arrested after the marijuana plants, worth roughly £25,000, were found by police.
A second cannabis farm was only discovered after he tried to kill his nine-year-old daughter's gran. The 39-year-old the Liverpool Echo reports Carmel Ratcliffe 22 times before attempting to mow her down with his car.
Moon already had a long list of previous convictions before he carried out the brutal and unprovoked attack. The serial offender first appeared in court 20 years ago in 2003 after he was arrested for indecent exposure and fined, the Liverpool Echo reports.
He received another penalty in 2010 after he was found guilty of criminal damage. Moon was sentenced to prison a year later in 2011 over two separate pub assaults.
One of these incidents dated back to March 2008, when Moon - from Widnes - punched the victim in the face after a party. The second came in February 2009, when he was at a birthday party at a social club.
He began making "derogatory" comments towards a fellow attendee and glassed this person's friends in the back of the head as he began to walk away. The thug was jailed for 14 months for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
By 2013, issues were beginning to arise between Moon and his pregnant partner Leanne Finnegan. One incident which landed him back in court saw him barge past his expectant girlfriend - who was holding her one-year-old child at the time - and slash a mattress and a sofa with a knife.
She fell victim to his abuse in 2016, when he forced entry to his estranged ex's home and tried to kiss her before punching her in the face when she refuted his advances. Moon was convicted of battery and handed a 10-week imprisonment suspended for a year.
He then went five years before finding himself the criminal justice system again, when police discovered a £24,000 cannabis farm in the master bedroom of his home on Cherry Sutton in Hough Green.
Despite being handed a 14-month suspended sentence for production of cannabis and possession of cannabis with intent to supply, Moon quickly set about setting up another grow at the same address. After his attempted murder arrest, officers discovered a remarkably similar setup of 48 plants in his house.
Ian Harris, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court this week: "It seems his prior suspended sentence did nothing to deter his involvement in this type of crime."
He blamed Ms Ratcliffe, 67, for the breakdown of his relationship with Ms Finnegan and would often tailgate her at speed when he spotted her out driving on the roads. Moon had also damaged the Ratcliffes' car by throwing paint over it and throwing a hammer through the windscreen.
By June 4 this year, he had become frustrated by ongoing family court proceedings and was drinking heavily. At 9.45am, the convicted drug dealer sent an alarming message to his then partner saying: "I hope I don't see Leanne, because I won't be in control of my own future."
Moon downed nearly two litres of vodka and took more than half a gram of cocaine before driving at speeds of up to 70mph through the town to Ms Ratcliffe's home, armed with a kitchen knife with an eight inch blade. He continued at 50mph through her estate before spotting her walking home carrying a child's scooter on Tabley Avenue after dropping her granddaughter with Ms Finnegan.
He honked his horn and pulled up next to her, briefly spoke to her out of the window but then got out of the car brandishing the blade. Moon stabbed Ms Ratcliffe eight times to the head and upper body, then knifed her a further 14 times after she fell to the floor.
The knifeman only "backed off" after neighbours ran to her aid. As he did so, he threw the weapon at the pensioner from a distance of 4ft, causing it to became lodged under her shoulder blade.
Ms Ratcliffe began crawling away in a desperate attempt to escape, but he told her he would "run her over" and mounted the curb as he drove away and veered towards her. Miraculously, she was able to avoid being run over by rolling into bushes.
The court was played harrowing footage of the incident which was captured from a nearby house, which also recorded audio. Ms Ratcliffe could be heard screaming as the assault ensued, alerting neighbours.
She then cried out for assistance from her husband, saying "help Alan". Moon responded by shouting: "You horrible little f***ing rat, you've f***ing ruined my daughter's life.
"You're a little mook. I'll f***ing run you over right now."
Afterwards, Moon visited his sister's home and borrowed a phone charger before changing out of his bloodstained clothes, visiting Crosby Beach, disposing of his mobile phone - which was never found - and driving back to Widnes at speeds of up to 134mph. He had also phoned his dad to tell him he had "run someone over".
After a manhunt and his arrest on Grizedale in Hough Green in the early hours of June 5, he refused to be tested for drugs until 24 hours later. Moon also claimed he had the knife in his vehicle in order to cut flowers to leave on his mum's grave.
Meanwhile, Ms Ratcliffe was left with life-changing injuries. Her life was saved by the actions of Kenneth Reid, her neighbour and a recently retired paramedic with 29 years of experience.
He had been at a party and "heard a commotion" before discovering the gravely injured woman in the street and instinctively sprung into action and administered life-saving first aid at the roadside alongside Mr Ratcliffe. Mr Reid later said he had seen "many people" who had been stabbed during his career, but "not one sustained as many as Carmel did that day".
Blood was left running down the pavement into the gutter after the knife attack, with Ms Ratcliffe remaining in Aintree Hospital for 11 days afterwards. Mr Harris said this week: "His actions undoubtedly saved her life."
Her arm was partially-amputated by the assault, leaving the bone exposed. But the limb was saved during emergency surgery.
Doctors believe Ms Ratcliffe would have died within an hour if not for the intervention of specialists. She suffered puncture wounds to her forearm, shoulder, cheek and the back of her head as well as a skull fracture.
The nan will likely have permanent scars from the assault and is expected to need a further five years of care. Ms Ratcliffe cannot blink and has to tape one of her eyes shut while sleeping and is unable to wash herself or brush her teeth without assistance from family members, and may not be able to return to her job as a housekeeper.
Moon, who were a grey Under Armour t-shirt and sported a shaved had and a beard, was jailed for 22 years on Monday after admitting attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place.
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