Moorehouse asked for the judge to take into accoun

Moorehouse asked for the judge to take into account the theft of a handbag and credit card from a car outside Sainsburys in Kingsway, west London and three charges of using the card to obtain money by deception.

She also asked for a further charge of obtaining money by deception relating to a card stolen in St Martins Lane, central London, to be taken into account.

Mr Nicholas Price, QC, defending Woolley said: ‘It was his desire to get away which caused this appalling tragedy.

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In a letter written to his solicitors in jail, Woolley said he could not find the words to express his regret.

‘I have myself been unable to come to terms with the fact my actions have taken someone else’s life,’ he wrote.

He said the incident was a moment of ‘absolute craziness.

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‘I have had nothing but broken sleep, nightmares and panic attacks.

I have shed tears for Mrs Sherlock every night, knowing that it shouldn’t have happened.

‘I have now felt what it means to put hate yourself for your actions.

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Mr Price said: ‘You have before you a man who will carry the scars of what he has done until his dying day.

‘What he has done he finds it almost impossible to come to terms with.

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Lady Anne Mallalieu, for Moorehouse said her client had lost her son because of her life of crime and drugs.

The QC said: ‘Effectively there is no prospect of her having her son back.

‘He has been made the subject of a full care order.

Effectively that part of her life has ended as a result of her addiction.

‘She has lost her child as a direct result of what has happened.

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Lady Mallalieu told the court how Moorehouse had begun abusing alcohol at the age of ten, and started taking glue at 12.

She took LSD at 14 before smoking cannabis with friends.

Moorehouse also took diazepam tranquillizers taken from her dad, the court heard.

After a spell in Holloway prison she met Woolley at the age of 16.

Shortly afterwards she started smoking crack cocaine and injecting heroin with Woolley.

‘Michael Woolley was her anchor throughout these years.

Rightly or wrongly, for good or bad, he was the person for whom she had affection and long standing affection.

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Lady Mallalieu added: ‘She is clearly not going to have Mark Woolley in her life as she has for the last few years.

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Speaking of Moorehouse’s addiction the QC commented: ‘She has got to find some way, a genuine wish to turn her life around.

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ends

sisters.