A MOTHER was vicously beaten by her former boyfriend with her 14-year-old son and 14-month-old grandson in the room, a court heard on Friday.

Susan Whittaker was punched, bitten and throttled by 23-year-old James Emerson while her son shouted at him and tried to pull him off. Her 14-month-old grandson was also in his cot in the room.

Miss Whittaker had been asleep in bed when she woke fighting for breath and found Emerson straddled over her, pinning her arms down with his legs.

Maidstone Crown Court heard it was the third attack on Miss Whittaker by Emerson in less than a month. At the time he was on bail from the magistrates court with conditions including not to enter her street and not to contact her.

In the earlier attacks, Miss Whittaker had suffered a broken arm and had her earrings ripped from her ears.

Jailing Emerson, of Sturdee Avenue, Gillingham, for a total of three years with an extended licence period of two years, Recorder Robert Jay QC said the case was "shocking and deeply troubling".

Emerson admitted two offences of assault causing actual bodily harm in September last year, one of common assault in August, two of theft from Miss Whittaker and two of destroying her property.

He also asked for another offence of common assault and one of criminal damage to be taken into consideration.