by Keith Hunt

A brutal woman has been jailed for assaulting her 95-year-old mother, leaving her with black eyes and bleeding to her head.

Beverley Torr, 60, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm but denied the attack as she was being sentenced.

"I never ever hit her," she told Judge Charles Macdonald QC. "I won’t have you say so. I spent three months in a damn prison. I lost my cat.

"You couldn’t give a toss, could you? I love my mum and she did love me. That’s my life - prison. Thank you."

The judge ordered Torr to be taken to the cells before going on to sentence her to 15 months.

Maidstone Crown Court heard a woman delivering meals to elderly vulnerable people on October 10 last year saw that Peggy Mallory had "terrible" bruising to her eyes.

She reported the matter and a case worker went to Mrs Mallory’s home. She saw the injuries and took her to hospital.

"On the way, she described the incident," said prosecutor Keith Yardy. "She said the defendant had pushed her and knocked her on the head with something.

"She said she tried to crawl and call the police but the defendant prevented her. She crawled to the front door to get a neighbour to call the police.

"She reached the threshold and the defendant pulled her back inside. She stayed in her room until the next day because she was scared to leave."

Mr Yardy said Mrs Mallory was considered by Social Services to be at extreme risk of harm from her daughter.

The victim said of her injuries: "This was done to me by my daughter."

When arrested, Torr referred to her mother as "a lying, stinking ------- ----", adding: "She has had me arrested before."

Mr Yardy told the judge: "She remained adamant her mother must have fallen and showed no concern for her condition."

Torr, who has been staying at a hotel in London Road, Tunbridge Wells, was bailed with a condition not to go to her mother’s home, but she did so twice.

She was then remanded in custody.

Judge Macdonald said: "It is plainly obvious from the defendant’s conduct in court she has no real remorse."

He told Torr before she was removed from the dock: "You are a lifelong offender.

"You were ejected from your house and moved in with your mother. You attacked her. She was prevented from calling the police.

"Clearly, this was a sustained assault on a 95-year-old woman. It was a gross abuse of power and trust."

The judge made a restraining order for 10 years to protect Mrs Mallory from harassment or violence.