'Monster' South Shields son left dad fearing he would die

Ryan Anderson stole money from his mother's bags, repeatedly punched and kicked his father then caused thousands of pounds of damage to their home in South Shields.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Anderson had already put his parents through a difficult time due to his drug misuse and mental health problems.

Prosecutor Shada Mellor said during the build up to the trouble he had been verbally abusive to his mum, said his dad "doesn't give a f*** about me" and threatened to take an overdose.

The court heard violence flared after Anderson stole between £140-£200 cash then left the house and arrived back in a taxi, which he asked his parents to pay for but they refused.

Miss Mellor said: "The defendant became more verbally aggressive and began to punch his father, who had attempted to calm him down.

"He said 'I'm going to smash the house up' and his father turned to walk away and he suddenly felt a full-force impact on the back of his head, which stunned him."

The court heard the dad realised Anderson was holding a case iron fire poker, which prosecutors accept he did not use to hit him with but was brandished as a weapon.

Miss Mellor said the dad tried to defend himself and added: "They ended up on the floor.

"He momentarily got the defendant in a headlock and said to him 'what are you doing, I'm your dad, we love you to bits' but the defendant is a strong man and was able to break free.

"The defendant stood over him and began punching him full-force to the head, face and body as he lay on the floor. He tried to protect him.

"The defendant kicked him with his right foot, in a football type motion, to the left side of his body."

Miss Mellor said the dad screamed "where are the police" and added: "He genuinely thought he was going to be killed".

The court heard Anderson used a candle lighter and tried to stab his dad then picked up a glass bowl and attempted to hit him with that, which again left him fearing he was "going to die".

Miss Mellor said the attack, which lasted around 30 minutes, ended when Anderson launched a full-force kick to his dad's genital area and sent him to his knees.

He then went on a "rampage" and smashed windows at the house and property inside, causing more than £5,000 damage.

Anderson tried to bite a police officer and smeared his cell in feaces after he was arrested.

The court heard the parents had given Anderson multiple chances despite his ongoing problems and his dad said in an impact statement his son had began to "turn back to the original monster he has been in the past".

Anderson, 33, of Hedley Close, South Shields, admitted assault, theft, assault on an emergency worker and two charges of criminal damage.

Jason Smith, defending, said Anderson, who held his head in his hands during parts of the hearing, "deeply regrets" what he did.

The court heard the parents have visited Anderson in prison with a view to rebuilding their relationships, which Judge Tim Gittins said is to their credit.

Judge Gittins said Anderson acted like a "spoilt, demanding teenager" rather than a grown man and sentenced him to 29 months behind bars with a three year Criminal Behaviour Order designed to prevent him causing further distress to his parents.