A 65-year-old woman was left “screaming in fright” after she and her husband were assaulted by their drunk, “evil-eyed” son.
Margaret Doran was pushed “with substantial force” into bathroom tiles by Matthew Doran during a violent outburst at the family home in Gillingham.
Just seconds later, the 43-year-old grabbed his 76-year-old father Alan by the throat and squeezed before throwing him to the ground.
Maidstone Crown Court heard both parents are vulnerable with numerous disabilities and health conditions.
Mr Doran Snr, who suffers from asthma and emphysema, had also had a recent stroke.
There were already concerns about their son’s behaviour as he had been violent in the past and it was on July 6 this year that Doran’s temper flared after he came home drunk.
He had already been warned by his mum not to drink any more alcohol that day, only to respond by telling her to “F*** off” and then storming out the house, slamming the front door so hard it was damaged, the court heard.
On his return, he could be heard in his bedroom banging, swearing and saying “C***, I’ll knock your head off”.
“His mother asked him to stop but he was aggressive and threatening, causing her to feel scared and vulnerable,” prosecutor Martin Yale told the court.
“She said she looked into his eyes and saw evil.”
He briefly calmed down, only to then become even more aggressive and agitated towards his mother and threaten her: “I’m going to hurt you in a minute.”
At this point grandmother Mrs Doran dialled 999.
They need to come here. Do I need to smash you?
“While on the phone to the call handler, she (Mrs Doran) asked him to leave. He refused, saying ‘They need to come here. Do I need to smash you?’ before shouting ‘F*** off’ again,” continued Mr Yale.
“Mrs Doran went to the bathroom but he followed her. She was extremely scared. He then grabbed her with both hands to her shoulders and the force caused her to hit the tiles.”
Doran was said to be “in a rage” as he then stormed downstairs to assault his father.
“He grabbed him by the front of the throat. He grabbed him, squeezing in a pinching motion, and then threw Mr Doran on the floor,” added the prosecutor.
“There was a thud as he hit the ground. Mrs Doran came down and saw Mr Doran getting back to his feet.”
The pensioner later told police the grabbing of his throat was “quick” and although he did not think it restricted his breathing, he was left with red marks to his neck.
Doran was arrested later that day but, once in a cell, he urinated on the floor and then became aggressive with a female police officer.
“He looked at her as if he wanted to punch her, getting in her face and using his size to intimidate her and telling her to ‘F*** off’,” said Mr Yale.
The constable retreated, fearing for her safety, as did Doran’s solicitor who was also in the cell at the time.
A police interview was not conducted due to the level of his aggression.
Mrs Doran, who suffered bruising to her arm, later explained in a victim impact statement how she had become more fearful that either she or her husband would be seriously injured at their son’s hands.
The court heard that eight months before the assaults, Doran had been cautioned for an offence of battery against his mother.
She is scared when he is in her house and not knowing what he will do next
“She is scared when he is in her house and not knowing what he will do next,” explained the prosecutor.
His behaviour had also impacted on family life as it had led to her children and grandchildren being reluctant to visit, the court was told.
Doran pleaded guilty to offences of intentional strangulation, assault by beating, common assault on an emergency worker and damaging property.
Sentencing had been adjourned until Thursday (October 3) for a probation report but the court heard he refused to engage.
He also made it clear, when asked by the judge, that he did not want a further opportunity for one to be prepared on his behalf.
Jordan Santos-Sindes, defending, told the court that “clearly something had gone wrong” for a man of Doran’s age, with no previous convictions, to find himself in court for assaulting family members.
But in mitigation he argued the strangulation of his father had not been prolonged or left any lasting injury, and that the female police officer, although “frightened and a little bit scared” had not been threatened with a clenched fist.
Of the assault on Mrs Doran, the lawyer added: “The level of threat would have been frightening for her and while he said he was going to hit her and knock her head off, as alleged, he didn’t do that. He pushed her.”
Jailing Doran for a total of 15 months, Recorder Emma Greenwood said he had caused both physical and psychological harm, in particular to his mother.
“She describes being very scared of what you might do to her. Both she and your father are very vulnerable due to their personal health issues,” she told Doran.
“You used substantial force, causing her to hit the tiles…She sustained a bruise but, it seems, more than that as she was clearly in significant distress and in her 999 call can be heard screaming in fright.
“When asked if she wanted an ambulance she said ‘No, it’s just shock’.”
Of the attack on Mr Doran Snr, Recorder Greenwood said it was a “short-lived” incident in which Doran had “desisted voluntarily”.
But she concluded that with no strong personal mitigation or any realistic prospect of rehabilitation, the appropriate punishment could only be an immediate jail term.
A two-year restraining order was also imposed banning Doran from entering his parents’ road.
However, the court was told he did not want any contact with his mum or dad.
