An intoxicated man strangled his mother and punched her in the face after she told him to “sort himself out”. He later offered to fight a neighbour who intervened.
Gareth Challenger, 33, assaulted his mother Carole Challenger at his home in Caerphilly on July 2. The defendant had been out shopping with his partner and drinking alcohol to excess to the point he required an ambulance.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard Ms Challenger was at her son’s home to clear up dog mess and a quilt which had been left in the garden. She later saw Challenger stood at the back door and could see he was intoxicated.
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Ms Challenger continued to clean up as the defendant attempted to pull away items of bedding. She told Challenger he needed to “sort himself out”. An argument began which escalated into violence.
The defendant grabbed her by the throat and pinned her up against a car while applying pressure to her neck for several seconds causing her to choke. A neighbour told Challenger to leave his mother alone and he let go of her throat but punched her to the face
Ms Challenger managed to get in her car and drive away but she could hear her son offering to fight the neighbour. The police were called and Challenger was arrested.
In a victim personal statement Ms Challenger said: “I’ve been crying myself to sleep at night. I can’t come to terms with the actions Gareth took towards me by strangling me and punching me to my face. I’ve felt no remorse from him and if he’s released from prison I fear he will follow the same path and not learn from what he has done.”
Challenger, of Glen View Terrace, later pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation. The court heard he had four previous convictions, including two incidents of battery against his mother, and driving matters.
Recorder Christian Jowett sentenced Challenger to a total of 84 weeks imprisonment. He was also made subject to a restraining order.
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