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'Jekyll and Hyde' abuser ripped out disabled mother's catheter during campaign of abuse at Dover home

A “Jekyll and Hyde” abuser who ripped out his disabled mother’s catheter and snapped her glasses during a campaign of abuse has avoided jail.

Andrew Jones erupted into a rage when his mother ignored his drunken rambling, choosing instead to watch a film, a court heard.

He attacked his disabled mother on multiple occasions Picture: PA/Kirsty O'Connor
He attacked his disabled mother on multiple occasions Picture: PA/Kirsty O'Connor

“He was babbling and went to turn the TV down, he grabbed the remote and threw it at the telly which cracked the screen,” prosecutor Eleanor Scott-Davies told Canterbury Crown Court.

The 37-year-old removed and snapped her glasses shouting “what are you going to do?” then pushed her to the floor.

When his mother struck her head on the windowsill, his fury intensified.

He detached part of her catheter and, as she scrambled to the bathroom, shouted: “Come on let me fix this.”

“She said ‘no’, he pulled the rest of the catheter out obviously causing her pain,” Ms Scott-Davies said.

As she tried calling 999 Jones snatched her phone and continued his torment.

His mother told the court that “Jekyll and Hyde” Jones had been her carer for 10 years and “always puts me down.”

“He becomes so evil when he has an outburst, he is a nasty piece of work, and a Jekyll and Hyde character.”

She added: “I was upset about the incident as I felt like I’d failed my son.

“I always brought him up teaching him right from wrong, including not hitting women.”

But she did add that Jones was amiable when sober and she longed for him to address issues with alcoholism.

'I always brought him up teaching him right from wrong, including not hitting women...'

The judge told Jones, who has been on remand following his arrest in February, the assault was “sustained abuse.”

“The police attended at the address following three calls including two abandoned 999 calls,” Recorder Allison Russell said.

“As your mother tried calling the police you took her phone, squared up to her and subjected her to further abuse, saying: ‘what are you going to do now? You are nothing.”

“You forcibly pulled out the catheter, an assault causing her great pain.”

“This was a sustained assault with repeated occasions of verbal and physical abuse.”

Jones’ lawyer said he plans to continue his spell of sobriety since being remanded in HMP Elmley.

“He is perhaps in a better place than he has been in many years to be in a position to address his alcohol abuse,” he said.

Jones has 12 convictions for 23 offences including assault against his own parents.

He was handed 30 weeks custody suspended for two years after pleading guilty to causing actual bodily harm and criminal damage at a previous hearing.

He must complete 25 rehabilitation requirement days, an alcohol treatment program and reside in Biggin Street, Dover, rather than at his mother’s address.

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