A young substance abuser repeatedly punched, kicked and then took his mother in a choke hold purely because she would not fund his next drug purchase, a court heard.

Shane Tidyman was jailed for the “cruel, bullying” attack at the Newton Aycliffe home of his mother, who a judge said was, “just beaten up” by him, because he could not get what he wanted.

Durham Crown Court was told Tidyman was on bail following a suspected previous assault on his mother in October, when he called at her home, against the terms of his bail conditions, on Friday November 18.

David Robinson-Young, prosecuting, said Tidyman asked to borrow £40, but as she suspected he would use the money for drugs, she refused.

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Tidyman left at about 1pm, but his mother noticed her bank card was missing and so rang the bank to put a stop on it, which they did.

The defendant returned at about 3pm and a row developed as he urged his mother to have the card unblocked.

Mr Robinson-Young said she refused and walked away to try to avoid further confrontation.

Her son followed her upstairs to her bedroom, however, where he punched her and kicked her, including a “heavy blow” to her genitalia, as she lay on her bed to try to protect her face.

She told police she felt like she was being treated like a punch bag.

Tidyman then put her in a choke hold, squeezing her tightly round her throat, to the point where she could not breathe and she honestly thought she would die.

He then took her land-line phone and told her to call the police via the emergency 999 number.

Officers arrived in a short time and found her with numerous bruises and lumps to her face and body, while she also suffered ongoing pain to her neck and shoulders.

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Mr Robinson-Young said she reached the point where she'd had enough of the defendant, and felt she had “lost her son”, who was not the Shane she knew from his younger days due to his drug abuse.

Tidyman was arrested at the scene, telling the officers: “I’ve had a f***ing kick-off and I have done it again.”

Mr Robinson-Young said the defendant’s eight previous convictions for 14 offences included some against his mother.

The 25-year-old defendant, formerly of Marshall Road, Newton Aycliffe, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and intentional strangulation.

Amrit Jandoo, in mitigation, described the incident as, “disgraceful”, which he said was acknowledged by the defendant.

“It began amicably, even though he was in breach of bail conditions, but, when told he couldn’t have what he wanted, his behaviour went out of control.

“He has an underlying condition with ADHD.

“When he takes the correct medication, he’s quite an affable young man, and gets on with his family.

“But, when not taking the medication, he substituted it by taking illicit drugs.

“When interviewed, he indicated he knew he was in the wrong and made a timely guilty plea when he appeared before the magistrates.

“It’s an indication of genuine remorse and he knows he can’t sensibly argue for anything other than an immediate custodial sentence of some length.”

Judge James Adkin told Tidyman: “It’s heart-rendering for a mother to have to say to her son: ‘Enough’.

“She said she felt you attacked her as if she was a man.

“You just beat her up.

“It was a cruel, bullying attack of which you should be thoroughly ashamed.

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“It was your own mother and she feels ‘broken’, like she has lost her son.

“She said in her victim statement it feels like her son has died and has been replaced by someone else, saying: ‘It’s not my Shane anymore’.”

Imposing a 32-month prison sentence, Judge Adkin also put in place a restraining order, prohibiting Tidyman from approaching or contacting his mother for five years.