A ‘loving’ mother thought her son was going to kill her as he punched her repeatedly in the face and pulled out her hair.

Tyrone Howarth, 32, attacked his frightened mother Pamela Howarth in her home, where he also lived, drunk and angry.

Lisa Worsley, prosecuting at Burnley Crown Court, said Howarth was due to see his son on Friday, September 16, but at the last minute his ex-partner pulled out.

Angered by this, Howarth went out drinking before returning to his mother’s flat in Mill Court, Sabden, near Clitheroe, where he had lived for about six months.

She told him on the phone he could only come back if he would be quiet but as soon as he returned, he called his ex-partner and started screaming down the phone at her.

Howarth then turned his anger on his mother.

Ms Worsley said: “She didn’t want to get into an argument.

“He started to get agitated and aggressive. He aimed all his verbal abuse towards her.

“She let him rant as she thought it was the best thing to do. He called her scum and that she was the worst mother.”

She gave him no reaction which angered him more, at which point he grabbed their dogs and started punching them in the face.

She told him to leave the dogs alone which caused him to launch his attack on her.

He removed his top and started punching her repeatedly in the face, swinging both fists, one at a time.

He started pulling her hair from her head, leaving her with matted hair and bald patches.

She told police how she was ‘frightened’ as although he had hit her and pulled out her hair in the past, it had never been this bad.

She spoke of how at one point she thought he was going to kill her.

After hearing the commotion turn to silence, a frightened neighbour called the police and Howarth was arrested.

Mitigating, Phil Barnes said Howarth, who was also up for a case of dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol, understood custody would be the only thing on the judge's mind and he was prepared for his punishment.

Mr Barnes said: “He needs to press reset on his life.

"He holds his mother in the utmost regard. That he would raise his hands to his own mother who has supported him is something that he feels incredibly awful about."

Mr Barnes went on to say Howarth, a scaffolder, described himself as having become a functioning alcoholic and he was trying to address his addiction.

His mother spoke of how she did not wish to provide a victim impact statement as, although at the time she was scared, she is now more concerned for the long-term health of her son.

Recorder Ciaran Rankin jailed Howarth, of no fixed abode, for two years, one year for the assault on his mother and one year for the dangerous driving and excess alcohol charges, running consecutively.

A separate article containing the details of the dangerous driving will also be published.