Sutton man jailed for savage attack on his ailing mother

Reece Thomas William Lomas visited his mother’s home in Markham Place, Mansfield on January 24 and said he needed £80 to pay his rent, Mansfield Magistrates’ Court was told on Wednesday, March 18.

When his mother refused he pushed her backwards onto the stairs, before the attack moved into the front room where he pushed her onto the sofa and tried to strangle her, said Donna Fawcett, prosecuting.

He also damaged a door, a table and picture frames in the incident, she said.

Lomas, aged 24, of Stonyford Road, Sutton, admitted assault by beating and two counts of criminal damage when he appeared before the court.

“His mother lived alone at her address and he had lived with her until he was about 16 when his behaviour became unmanageable,” Mrs Fawcett said. “He then went to live with his dad but he also kicked him out.

“On the day in question, there was a knock at the door and it was Lomas saying that he wanted £80.

“She was trying to leave the property but he pushed her backwards onto the stairs and he then took the key out of the front door so she couldn’t get to her neighbour’s house to get some assistance and then threw them so they were out of her reach.

“He then started kicking the living room door and a table, causing her picture frames to fall on the floor.

“He then asked her for money again, and when she refused he pushed her onto the sofa and grabbed her around the neck. During this incident, she had been on the phone to her father and it was him who rang the police on her behalf. She says she’s surprised it didn’t trigger an epileptic fit.”

Mitigating, Rebecca Williams said Lomas was “particularly remorseful” about what had happened.

She said that the defendant had been living in shared accommodation and hated it and had subsequently got his own flat. But he had got himself in arrears with his rent and had gone to his mother to ask for money because he was scared of getting evicted.

“He left her home in 2015 and the relationship has been pretty fraught ever since,” she told the court.

District Judge Jonathan Taaffe jailed Lomas for 18 weeks and issued a three-year restraining order.