Thug tells police why he launched shocking Halloween mask meat cleaver attack on mother-in-law

Luke Mackrory, 27, has been jailed for 18 years after hacking his mother-in-law with a meat cleaver

This is the chilling moment a smirking thug who hacked his mother-in-law’s head with a meat cleaver tells police that ‘she had to get dealt with.’ 

Luke Mackrory, 27, disguised himself in a spooky mask on Halloween last year and carried out a frenzied blade attack on Nicki Murnane whose scalp was left hanging off ‘like a big slice of beef’.

The 51-year-old grandmother suffered a fractured skull for which she needed 47 stables and has been diagnosed with PTSD from the frightful night in Caversham, Berkshire. 

But despite the victim’s physical damage and psychological trauma, Mackrory appears unremorseful in a video filmed a few days after his arrest.

In the recording of Mackrory sent to his family from jail, he said: ‘It’s already too late. You are all in my thoughts and my heart.

‘But it’s come to this. I couldn’t live no longer like it. Therefore she had to get dealt with. It’s not going to be the last time.

‘But yeah I’m going to miss you guys. Love you all. Don’t worry about me, I’m all good.’

Nicki Murnane, 51,

Nicki Murnane, 51, 

Nicki suffered a fractured skull (hospital pictures)

She needed 47 stables and has been diagnosed with PTSD from the frightful night in Caversham, Berkshire

Nicki suffered a fractured skull for which she needed 47 stables and has been diagnosed with PTSD from the frightful night in Caversham, Berkshire

During his trial the video was shown to the jury who later found Mackrory guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent.

And yesterday at Reading Crown Court the savage convict from Aldermaston was jailed for 18 years.

Mackrory had previously been described by Nicki as a model son-in-law but he waged a vendetta against her after splitting with her daughter and his primary school sweetheart Victoria, 27.

After carrying out the meat cleaver attack, Mackrory sent Nicki a twisted text message while she was still recovering in Wexham Park Hospital in Slough.

He wrote: Trick or treat, smell the blood. Tastes good, right? Hahaha. Still out here. Thinking of finishing you off. Hee Hee.’   

Mackrory was arrested the next day and while in custody was allowed to record the video as a message to his family where he admitted the attack.  

Speaking after the sentencing at court yesterday, Nicki said: ‘I’m relieved. I’m glad it’s over. I will not be seeing him now for a long time.’ 

Despite the victim's physical damage and psychological trauma, Mackrory appears unremorseful in a video filmed a few days after his arrest

In the recording of Mackrory sent to his family from jail, he said: 'It's already too late. You are all in my thoughts and my heart'

Despite the victim’s physical damage and psychological trauma, Mackrory appears unremorseful in a video filmed a few days after his arrest 

Mackrory was also sentenced to two years for threatening with a bladed article and another year for possession of a bladed article – both to run concurrently.  

He was also given a restraining order in relation to Nicki and ordered to pay a £170 victim surcharge.

Describing the attack, Nicki said: ‘Suddenly, I saw something in the corner of my eye.

‘I looked and saw him and I thought ‘oh s*** he’s got a meat clever in his hand. He was wearing a Halloween mask. It was big and black, all you can see is his eyes.

‘He shouted “I’m going to cut your f*****g head off’ and ‘I’m going to f*****g kill you”.

‘He swung at me and he caught me on my leg, back, neck and arm. Amazingly they did not puncture the skin.

‘But then he grabbed a hold of my hair and he hacked at my head.’ 

Mackrory had previously been described by Nicki (pictured) as a model son-in-law but he waged a vendetta against her after splitting with her daughter and his primary school sweetheart Victoria, 27

Mackrory had previously been described by Nicki (pictured) as a model son-in-law but he waged a vendetta against her after splitting with her daughter and his primary school sweetheart Victoria, 27

Nicki was left with a chunk of flesh hanging off her skull and has needed serious treatment for her wounds

Nicki was left with a chunk of flesh hanging off her skull and has needed serious treatment for her wounds 

She continued: ‘It went right through to my skull. It was like a big slice of beef hanging off.

‘I was holding my head, someone else came and lifted the flap up at the back. I believe if he had not been stopped he would have carried on.

‘I don’t remember walking down the road. It was a blur. The survival adrenaline kicked in so much.

‘The next thing I know I’m sat in my kitchen. My neighbours wrapped some tea towels around it.

‘My son Antony went banding down the road looking for him. But he just disappeared.  

Since the brutal attack Nicki has been diagnosed with PTSD which she is still getting treatment for.

Speaking after the sentencing at court yesterday, Nicki said that she was relieved that she will not have to see Mackrory for a long time

Speaking after the sentencing at court yesterday, Nicki said that she was relieved that she will not have to see Mackrory for a long time

She said: ‘By the grace of God no damage was done to my brain. The PTSD is going to be there for a while. I’m left in discomfort, it’s a constant reminder.’

Victoria said: ‘I was there when it happened. I can’t believe he actually did it. I didn’t think he was capable of it, put it that way.

‘I was completely shocked. It’s not normal behaviour to something so brutal.’

The jury found Mackrory not guilty of attempted murder at the trial last month.

Of her previous closeness with Luke, Nicki added: ‘Luke and I got on fine to be fair and were quite close.

‘He moved in with us. He decorated my hallway, he put the shed up, he cut the grass, he cooked. He was as good as gold.’

Even though he and Victoria were not married she added: ‘I viewed him as my son-in-law. 

‘Not in a million years was I concerned about him being violent before. It’s so sad it’s turned out like this. He picked Halloween to attack me on purpose.

‘He was the devil incarnate.’ 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk