By Grâçia Ada Obi
A mentally-ill Derbyshire man who made animal noises while threatening to slit his 72-year-old mum’s throat was banned from contacting her after seriously assaulting her the year before, a court has heard.
Terrence Brown’s mother invited him around to look after her while she recovered from a hip replacement and initially he was “very caring and helpful,” said Prosecutor Katherine Wilson.
But after a couple of days he started talking about hearing voices and left the house on August 3 for fresh air. Later that evening, he rang up to growl down the phone and make animal noises before threatening to come round and slit her throat.
She hung up because she was frightened and, worried the front door was unlocked, manged to get to her feet and lock her bedroom door which has three bolts fitted due to previous incidents when he used to live with her.
Ms Wilson said a restraining order was imposed in March 2023 to protect Brown’s mum after he seriously assaulted her.
The court heard that Brown was jailed for 12 months after he became annoyed, smashed a tea cup and tried to gouge her eye out.
In a statement his mum said: “He suffers with his mental health. He is like two people. He does these horrible things and then he is sorry and doesn’t even remember what happened.”
She said she didn’t want to go to court but wants him to be reassessed as she doesn’t think he has been diagnosed properly, said Ms Wilson.
“She doesn’t think a prison sentence would help him. She is worried about him as he struggles with his mental health and has no support.”
The court heard Brown, who has been diagnosed with a personality disorder, anxiety and depression, has 15 previous convictions for 26 offences.
His mum, who has limited mobility and is vulnerable, is deemed at “high risk.”
Jameel Malik, mitigating, said Brown deserved credit for his guilty plea and asked for a report to be prepared by the probation service.
The 47-year-old, of Acton Road, Long Eaton, admitted harassment – put in fear of violence, when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Wednesday. Brown, who appeared via video from HMP Peterborough, was committed to Nottingham Crown Court for sentence on October 9.
Meanwhile, officers from the Heanor Safer Neighbourhood Team recently arrested a man in Langley Mill after police spotted “suspicious vehicle” at supermarket
A team spokespersons said: “Plain clothed officers were patrolling Heanor and Langley Mill last night as part of Operation Shango, which aims to target anti-social behaviour and other criminality.
“A suspicious vehicle was sighted pulling into Asda car park, so officers decided to have a chat with the driver.
Turns out the driver did not have a driving licence or insurance so the vehicle was seized.
“Whilst doing checks it also turned out the male was wanted for multiple offences, so has the pleasure of spending the night in one of our finest cells.”