A Sunderland man shot his mother in the face with an air rifle after a drunken row, a court heard yesterday.

Michael Woolford turned the gun on his mother when a row erupted after a night out.

His mother, Janice, needed an operation to remove the pellet from her eye socket after the attack.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how Woolford, 27, had a fiery relationship with his parent when he lived with her.

Robert Woodcock, prosecuting, told the court how Mrs Woolford enjoyed having a drink when she went out and alcohol made it difficult for the pair to communicate.

Mr Woodcock said: "The pair arrived home and an argument ensued. The defendant reached for his air rifle and the pair tussled over it.

"He aimed the rifle at his mother and shot her in the face. He said sorry and then dialled 999."

Mrs Woolford, who was present at the hearing yesterday, had said she did not want her son prosecuted after she was shot.

John Evans, mitigating, told the court Woolford was an intelligent man and recognised he had done wrong.

Woolford, of Park Place West, Sunderland, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was sentenced to 80 hours community punishment.

He was also ordered to carry out 12 months community rehabilitation