Man attacked mother after fears that food was poisoned

Mark Stephenson attacked his 83-year-old mother, Mary, putting his arms around her neck and throwing her to the floor, after she fed him cake.

Teesside Crown Court heard that Stephenson falsely believed his mother was poisoning him and had held the assertion since developing scabies two years ago.

He had attacked her on earlier occasions and she had ended up in hospital four times before the assault in November 2004.

Richard Bennett, prosecuting, said: "He was shouting at her, 'Get up. I am not mental.' He went on to allege his mother was poisoning him, so he said, 'I am going to poison you too.'

"He was behaving in an odd fashion.

"There have been a number of violent incidents when defendant has lost his temper."

The court heard Mrs Stephenson lay on the floor for ten minutes before getting up and going into her lounge where her son confronted her again and punched her in the face before leaving.

Mrs Stephenson reported the incident to the police because she could not cope with his behaviour any longer and so he could receive help.

Months after the attack, the defendant began to visit his mother again at her home in Middlesbrough without any problems, but last October he threatened his mother again.

The court heard she fed Stephenson, but he complained of feeling unwell and she began to fear him because of the previous allegations.

He then held a knife to her face before shouting at her: "Ring police and get them to drop the case."

Mr Bennett said: "Mrs Stephenson was petrified. She described herself being frozen with fear."

Yvonne Taylor, mitigating, said her client, who pleaded guilty to assault and witness intimidation, was embarrassed by his behaviour.

Judge Tony Briggs gave Stephenson, of no fixed address, an anti-social behaviour order banning him from seeing his mother and from going within 100 metres of her home.

Sentencing was adjourned for assessments to be carried out.