An obsessed oddjob man brutally attacked a female

An obsessed oddjob man brutally attacked a female colleague with a claw hammer after she spurned his bizarre advances, a court heard today (Weds)

Daniel Montori, 51, hid in bushes outside housing officer Valerie Hannon’s home before battering her over the head in a vicious murder bid, it is claimed.

Montori was besotted with the attractive 43-year-old and launched a campaign of harassment which included bombarding her with explicit phone calls and begging her for sex, the Old Bailey was told.

He left notes on Mrs Hannon’s car confessing his love and on one occasion leapt out of bushes in front of her and performed pelvic thrusts, it is alleged.

The married woman was so petrified of the defendant she was forced to sell her home and car and move away from the area, the jury heard.

Montori’s ten-month spell of ‘menacing and dangerous’ behaviour began in March 2001 and ended with the attempt on her life a week before Christmas the same year.

He lay in wait outside her home in Eylewood Road, West Norwood, in south London and pounced as she got into her car, said prosecutor Warwick Aleeson.

‘He attacked her with a hammer and struck her repeatedly on the head.

‘The extent of the damage was limited to several cuts to her scalp and two broken bones to her fingers which we say was caused as she tried to defend herself.

‘She placed her hands on her head in order to stop the hammer striking her skull.

‘

Montori, who worked part-time for housing group South Thames Homes, was chased away by a concerned neighbour who heard her desperate screams, jurors heard.

Mr Aleeson told the court: ‘It is unclear why he chose to attack Mrs Hannon in this way but you will hear evidence of how he became obsessed with her.

‘

The alleged victim was an officer for the Lambeth-based company which helped provide accomodation for the homeless.

Italian-born Montori was initially a client of South Thames Homes but took on part-time work as an oddjob man for the firm where he met Mrs Hannon.

‘The Crown cannot say what caused him to become obsessed with him but she started to receive phone calls from him at any time of the day and as later as 11 o’clock at night,’ said the prosecutor.

‘During some calls he would utter obscenities, swearing at her and inviting her to perform sexual acts on him.

‘At first the calls were not taken very seriously by Mrs Hannon, however as time went on it became apparent that Montori’s obsession with her was becoming more menacing and dangerous.

‘

Montori stalked the woman while she was at work and once waited at a home she was due to visit before attempting to throttle her, the court heard.

On another occasion when they were alone in the office she was only rescued from an ‘aggressive’ attack when she screamed for help, it is alleged.

Mr Aleeson said the defendant’s alarming behaviour included following her work van as she drove from property to property.

‘He left notices on the windscreen of her van.

They would say words such as ”I love you”.

‘On another occasion he would deliberately jump out in front of her van and make rude gestures towards her such as thrusting his pelvis in her direction.

‘

She became so fearful for her life she was escorted to work and back by other colleagues.

Montori, whose last known address is Leander Road, West Norwood, denies the attempted murder of Mrs Hannon on December 19, 2001.

The defendant, who is representing himself, further denies causing grievous bodily harm with intent and putting a person in fear of violence by harassment between March 1 and December 20, 2001.

The trial continues.

ends

addobsess.