A son put a knife to his mother's neck while struggling with his mental health, a court has heard.

Matthew Nadin, 28, had been receiving help for his mental health for some time but he was still struggling when he cut his mother's arm with a Stanley knife before putting the blade to her neck.

Lisa Worsley, prosecuting, told Burnley Crown Court that Nadin’s mother, Susan Ray, returned to her home in Cornell Grove, Burnley, on June 22 and noticed that something was ‘not right’ with her son, thinking he may have been under the influence of drugs.

He opened a brand-new Stanley knife and started to scratch his arms with the blade.

She joked with him about taking it to his neck but did not mean it, saying she knew how to deal with him normally as she had been living with him for years, and spent her career working in mental health.

Ms Ray went into the living room with Nadin following her.

He sat next to her and said ‘you do not care’ while still cutting himself. She replied that she did care.

He went on to ask her if she was scared before cutting the top of her arm with the blade.

Ms Worsley said: “She said to him ‘you’ve hurt me’.

“He burst into tears and said, ‘I need help, I don’t know what I’m doing’.

“He put the knife by the left-hand side of her neck.

“The knife was new and very sharp, and it cut her neck.

“She tried to call the mental health crisis team but they told her to call the police.”

While trying to call the police, Nadin left the house and started running around the street ‘like a mad man’.

After leaving the house, Nadin went to see his then partner, Rebecca Fleming-McDermott, who was at a friend's house, but they did not let him in the house.

She looked out of the window and saw that he had slashed one of her car tyres but when she went to check the damage, she realised all four tyres had been slashed.

The police arrived and PC Nelson noticed a ‘deep’ cut to Ms Ray’s arm and a ‘slight’ cut to her neck.

Nadin was found in Harold Avenue topless, covered in blood with a can of lager in one hand and an e-cigarette in the other.

He was put in handcuffs but following an argument over his e-cigarette, Nadin lashed out, headbutting a police officer in the shoulder.

In interview, he answered no comment to all questions.

Mitigating, James Heyworth said Nadin has now received a diagnosis for his mental health and is working well with the help provided in prison.

He has deep remorse for his actions and said he cannot believe he has hurt his mother.

Mr Heyworth said: “It is much to his regret that he did what he did to his mum who is the consistency in his life.

“He does not wish to be in that situation ever again.”

While in prison, Nadin has not only accessed help with his mental health but has also completed programs to help him get off drugs and alcohol.

Mr Heyworth added: “Going into custody has not only protected those around him but also protected him

“There has been real effort by him and real attempts over the past seven months to access help and he has been able to do that.”

Nadin’s mother spoke from the witness box saying that she did feel bad for filing the report but that she is happy his time in custody has meant he got the help he needed.

Judge Sara Dodd said there was no option other than immediate custody while jailing Nadin for two years.

She said: “They are nasty injuries and could have been so much worse.

“They were injuries committed while you were not properly medicated, having taken other substances.

“I accept you were likely not getting the help you needed.

“The progress you have made since your arrest is a credit to you and you have taken every opportunity.

“Your remorse I accept is genuine.”