A VIOLENT alcoholic who clubbed his own 66-year-old mother to the back of the head with a wine bottle has been jailed.

His victim, who has a heart condition, fled in terror from her home after she was attacked by Huw Thomas, from Cwmbran, who lived with her.

Prosecutor David Pinnell said she was assaulted while she was drinking a glass of wine and reading in their utility room.

Her son came in and demanded to know where more drink was before he hit her.

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Mr Pinnell told Cardiff Crown Court: “The defendant was carrying a bottle of wine in his hand and, without warning, struck her with it to the back of the head.

“His mother immediately felt a stinging sensation and a dull ache. She reached up to her head and there was blood on her hand.

“She was in shock and felt fear. She left the property.”

An ambulance was called after she was helped by members of the public and the woman was kept overnight in hospital.

She was treated for a lump and lacerations to the back of her head.

When police arrested Thomas, 37, the next evening, he claimed he had acted in self-defence after he told them his mother had attacked him.

Mr Pinnell said that the defendant had gone to live with her and his now late sister in 2018 after the break-up of a relationship.

The court was told how he had earlier displayed “volatile and unpredictable behaviour” and a domestic violence protection order had been imposed against him.

Mr Pinnell said: “The complainant said she was punched to the back of the head, had been dangled from an upstairs window and headbutted.”

He said the police could not take further action on that occasion against Thomas because his mother would not support a prosecution.

The defendant had denied the attack with the bottle of wine that was committed on August 1 last year.

At Newport Magistrates’ Court, he was found guilty of causing actual bodily harm.

Mr Pinnell said Thomas had previous convictions for drink-driving and criminal damage.

Karl Williams, representing the defendant, told Judge Daniel Williams: “This is a case with a very sad and tragic chronology.

“He was a student who did very well at A-level and went on to do a degree in land management at Leeds University.”

Mr Williams said his client had turned to drink to cope with his parents’ divorce and the pressure he was under during his “successful” career before he was made redundant last year.

Judge Williams said Thomas was due to have been sentenced on Monday but turned up for his pre-sentence report at Cardiff Crown Court that morning “paralytic” and the case was adjourned.

He told him: “Your mother has suffered mentally from your terrible assault.”

Thomas, now of Maldwyn Street, Riverside, Cardiff, was jailed for 12 months and ordered to pay a £149 surcharge upon his release from custody.