A MAN who left his mother to die after an "unremitting and brutal" attack which caused 29 rib fractures was today given a jail sentence of more than 20 years.

Alexander McPartland was branded "callous and heartless" by a judge after Teesside Crown Court heard he tried to blame a mystery street mugger for the injuries.

Tracey McPartland, 42, had "massive" bruising to her back and "extensive" facial bruising, a post-mortem examination revealed.

She also suffered brain damage, bruising to her lungs and kidneys, and air had leaked into her chest cavity, which led to her death, said pathologist Dr Nigel Cooper - who concluded she was stamped on or kicked.

Mrs McPartland died at her home in Middlesbrough just before Christmas last year.

Neighbours in Delarden Road, Pallister Park, reported hearing banging at the flat on two separate occasions before she was found "literally covered from head to toe" with injuries.

The 24-year-old, of Morpeth Avenue, Middlesbrough, had been convicted on four earlier occasions of assaulting his mother, but there had been many unreported attacks.

Prosecutor Dafydd Enoch, QC, said he had also been jailed a number of times for breaching restraining orders imposed by courts to protect his mother from danger.

The court heard that McPartland has "little or no recollection" of the savage and unrelenting attack because he had been drinking vodka and taking sleeping pills.

His barrister, Tim Roberts, QC, said he fully accepted responsibility for her death, and described the relationship between mother and son as "entirely dysfunctional".

The court heard that she was "vulnerable and troubled" because of her alcoholism, and Mr Enoch said: "She simply took the beating, and did not seek help.

"She was rather like a child who was beaten and didn't have the wherewithal to respond to what was being done to her."

Mrs McPartland was found by the father of her son, who, the court heard, still care for her, did her shopping and carried out day-to-day tasks at her home.

An ambulance was not called until the following evening, after she simply went to bed saying she "felt unwell", but when paramedics arrived she was dead.

It is believed Ms McPartland, who had lived at her address for at least ten years, had two children and was a grandmother.

At the time of her death, neighbours described her as a “lovely woman” who “adored” the children who lived in the area.

“Whenever the kids were playing out the back, she was always there giving them drinks and ice lollies,” one neighbour said “She was just really nice and kind. She was everything you would want in a neighbour.

“She kept herself to herself most of the time, but would always speak and ask how you were doing if she saw you.”

McPartland was due to go on trial in December, but pleaded guilty to murder this morning, and was given a sentence of 20 years and two months, less the 125 days he has served on remand.

Judge Stephen Ashurst told him that victim personal statements from the partner of the victim's mother, and her sister, showed "the family simply cannot understand how you could have killed your own mother".

He added: "You knew she was vulnerable. You attacked her in her own home. The attack was unremitting and not a short and sudden use of violence, and you have a history of offending against your mother.

"Your left your own dying mother in the house, well knowing she was in dire need of medical attention, and finally you tried to divert the blame by suggesting your mother was the victim of a street robbery on her way back from the shops.

"The last two features show a high degree of callousness towards your own mother."

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Steve Young, said: “Alexander McPartland had already served a number of sentences in prison for domestic abuse towards his mother when he inflicted one final act of violence upon her, which resulted in her death.

“Tracey McPartland suffered severe injuries as a result of the attack and died at home, just before Christmas last year.

“Alexander McPartland tried to claim that his mother had been attacked in the street in an attempt to cover up his actions and avoid prison.

“I welcome the sentence handed to Alexander McPartland today and praise the family of Tracey McPartland, who have had to endure a nightmare since her death.

“Domestic Abuse can manifest itself in many forms. Cleveland Police has a zero tolerance approach towards this crime and I would urge anyone who may be a victim of domestic abuse to come forward and speak to us.

"All incidents are dealt with thoroughly and professionally and victims will be given the help they need.”