LISBON - The East Liverpool man who admitted beating his former girlfriend with a hammer and stabbing her was sentenced to eight years in prison, with another four years tacked on for escaping from the Columbiana County Jail.

"Your record speaks for itself," county Common Pleas Court Judge C. Ashley Pike told William E. Merritt. "I'm not here to make moral judgments, but you have a long record of showing your disregard for persons and property."

Merritt, 40, of Ohio Avenue, pleaded guilty last month to the July 8, 2008, attack at the East Liverpool home of Tammy Smith, with whom he once lived and still kept in contact. Merritt broke into the home at 5:30 a.m. to steal money. After disrobing, Merritt entered the bedroom where Smith was sleeping and proceeded to beat her in the head with a hammer before stabbing her once in the chest. At one point, Smith begged for her life.

After Merritt left, Smith managed to call police and was taken to the East Liverpool City Hospital, where she identified her ex-boyfriend as the attacker. DNA tests later confirmed blood found on Smith was from Merritt.

While awaiting trial on the charges, Merritt escaped from the county jail in August along with three other inmates, and they were recaptured the next day outside Pittsburgh. Merritt also pleaded guilty to that charge, and his sentencing was rolled into yesterday's proceedings.

During the hearing, Assistant County Prosecutor Tammie Riley Jones noted Merritt had an extensive criminal record dating back to his youth, including a lengthy prison stint.

She noted that Merritt maintains he cannot recall the events of that day because he was high on cocaine at the time. "I can tell you the victim remembers what happened that day," Jones told Judge Pike, later adding, "Frankly, I'm tired of people blaming drugs when they commit a crime."

Smith addressed the court, speaking in a faltering voice about the affect the horrific attack had on her family. "You don't know what it was like for my mother to come to the emergency room that morning and see me the way I was," Smith told Merritt, before taking a conciliatory tone. "I have no hate in my heart for you. I've forgiven you and now it's up to you to forgive yourself and for God to forgive you."

Merritt apologized for his actions but still maintains he cannot recall what happened. "I don't remember doing it, I swear on my life ... We were together seven years (and) I never ever laid a finger on her. I took care of her," he said.

The sentence is to be served consecutively with a two-year prison sentence Merritt received earlier in the week from Judge David Tobin after pleading guilty to receiving stolen property, forgery and burglary charges.

He received mandatory credit off his prison sentence for 397 days spent in the county jail.