A MUM who was held hostage has said she can ‘finally get on with her life’ after her attacker was jailed for four years.

Traumatised Hayley Hodge was left fearing for her life after knife-wielding George McCartney demanded money and locked her inside his home in Galt Avenue, Irvine. She had called in to see him as part of her work as a Provident Loans agent.

McCartney was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on Friday after earlier admitting the terrifying assault.

Speaking exclusively to the Times, Hayley said although she has been left emotionally scarred by the experience, she is relieved that her attacker is finally behind bars.

She said: “I am happy that he is still in prison and I’m glad he didn’t just get let off, but I’m not sure if he will even serve the full four years.

“I’m not sure how it all works, but at least I know he is being punished for what he’s done and he’s away for a while which means I can finally get on with my life now without having to think about it all.” Glasgow High Court heard how 32-year-old Hayley, from Irvine, had gone to McCartney’s home May this year to discuss him taking out a loan.

But when she arrived, Hayley says McCartney – who was covered in cuts and scrapes – invited her in and closed the door before demanding money.

Hayley said she feared she would be raped or murdered during the ordeal.

She said: “I knocked on his door and he invited me in. It was totally normal, but as soon as I went in he shut the door and then I saw the knife.

“I was absolutely terrified. I didn’t know if I was going to be raped, stabbed, murdered or what. It was like something out a film, that’s the only way I can describe it.” McCartney demanded: “You must have money.” Hayley insisted she had none, but was so terrified that she handed over her car keys and mobile phone.

Her attacker then left the house and locked Hayley inside before he fled in her car.

The court heard that the victim was in shock but realised that she had to get out. She ran upstairs and opened a window and saw there was a ledge below that she could climb out onto.

She then saw McCartney returning, carrying her handbag which he had taken from her car.

Hayley climbed onto the ledge and began screaming and crying for help and McCartney ran back to her car and sped off.

A neighbour heard her pleas for help and went to the aid of the victim and police were contacted.

The victim’s husband, David Hodge, arrived and spoke to his wife then went looking for the perpetrator and confronted McCartney telling him: “You robbed my Mrs.” McCartney handed him his wife’s purse and phone and Mr Hodge called the police and followed McCartney, who was detained.

The court heard that unemployed McCartney had previously been diagnosed with schizophrenia and had been abusing legal highs A judge told McCartney that although Hayley was not physically injured, the offence was “a frightening experience”.

Lord Boyd of Duncansby said at the High Court in Edinburgh that he had read a statement from the victim and it was clear that it had “a substantial impact”.

The judge told McCartney, who has a previous conviction for serious assault, that he would have jailed him for six years if he had been convicted after trial.