Flint man handed jail term for attacking his mother

Max Brock, of Northop Road in Flint, appeared at Caernarfon Crown Court on Friday morning via video link from HMP Berwyn.

The 22-year-old had previously admitted one offence of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and one of criminal damage.

Emmalyne Downing, prosecuting, told the court that Brock had been spared jail earlier this year when he was sentenced for his terrifying behaviour at the Beaufort Park Hotel in New Brighton, near Mold.

On that occasion, he had pushed his then-girlfriend's head into a sink full of water, claiming she was "possessed" and he was trying to "drown the demons out" of her.

The room the couple was in was left "bloodstained" after his prolonged attack against her.

Brock received a 14 month custodial sentence suspended for two years for the offences in July but, Ms Downing said, he would go on to breach it just a month later.

On August 25, whilst living at his mother Micah Brock's home, he was taking a bath at around 8.30pm.

He began kicking the bath and "speaking in a strange voice," saying he was going to take his own life.

When his mum tried to calm him down, Brock became extremely agitated - screaming at her: "I know what you are. I know exactly what you f****** are. You want me to kill myself."

Max Brock (North Wales Police) (Image: NWP)

He punched the bathroom door, damaging it, and then grabbed his mum's arms and squeezed, causing bruising.

"I know you want to kill me," Brock told her, before repeatedly trying to spit in her face.

When he was arrested and interviewed, he told police it had been his mum's fault.

Robin Boag, defending, said his client had ADHD and autistic spectrum disorder, which are exacerbated by his use of drugs.

He explained: "He clearly suffers from a mental disorder related to the commission of the offence.

"The most appropriate diagnosis is mental and behavioural disorder due to multiple drug use."

Mr Boag said his client - who had begun to enter a "cycle" of using drugs, committing offence and ending up in custody - had already served the equivalent of 14 months on remand in relation to the suspended sentence he received.

And he had served around two on remand since his commission of the latest offence, he added.

"He says while he is back in prison he has not been taking drugs," he continued.

"He is clearly going to have to make the effort [on his release] to tackle the drugs situation."

Recorder Benjamin Blakemore told Brock that an "integral" part of the decision made by the Judge who handed down his suspended sentence in July was the defendant's mother.

"That sentence relied heavily on your mum," he told him, "as did you.

"She appears to have been seen as a stabilising feature for and and I think she still is, notwithstanding what I am about to talk about.

"She was integral to your attendance at probation meetings and other matters - but within a month of that sentence being imposed, you attacked her in her home.

"You had seemingly descended into somewhat of a psychotic rage.

"It would undoubtedly have been terrifying for your mum to deal with.

"She was clearly dealing with you as sensitively as possible and did everything she could, but unfortunately the red mist had descended and you grabbed her arms, causing bruising."

The Judge activated the breached suspended sentence in full, and handed down a six month sentence for the latest offences.

"Does that mean I'm getting released today?" Brock asked the Judge, who replied: "No, it doesn't."

Mr Boag told the court however that given how much time his client had spent on remand for the previous crimes and the current ones, the reality is that his client would have to serve just a month or so before being eligible for release on licence.