Mum needed eye surgery after attack by son (From Stroud News and Journal)

Mum needed eye surgery after attack by son

7:49pm Wednesday 14th May 2008

• Print
• Email
• Share

A mum had to undergo eye surgery after her aggressive son smashed a glass door panel in her face, a court heard today.

Christian Plumley, 21, punched the glass in the back door of his mother Jennifer Plumley's home as she was talking to him from the other side, Gloucester crown court was told.

As she staggered back with one eyeball torn by a shard of glass she saw her son looking 'wild eyed and smirking as though he was pleased with the consequences,' said prosecutor Julian Kesner.

Plumley, who lived in an outbuilding of his mother's home in The Wordens, Cashes Green, Stroud, admitted charges of criminal damage and causing grievous bodily harm.

He was sentenced to 14 months' jail and ordered to serve half of this in custody with Judge Martin Picton warning that it was only a matter of time before Plumley was given a sentence for public protection.

Mr Kesner told the court that Plumley was an 'immature young man' who was living in an outbuilding because of his 'deeply troubled relationship with his family.' On 5th April this year, he said, Plumley's mother was looking after her son's seven week old baby daughter.

Plumley was out until just after midnight that night and when he returned to his outbuilding home he started playing music very loudly.

Mrs Plumley was concerned about the noise waking the baby so she went out, found her son's room empty, and switched off the sound.

As she went back into her kitchen and locked the stable-type door behind her she saw her son outside, apparently the worse for wear with glazed eyes, Mr Kesner said.

"She was talking to him through one of the glass panels in the door and had her head quite close to the glass when all of a sudden he punched it.

"The panel smashed and shards of glass came into the kitchen, and some of them hit her eye.

"She describes feeling a sensation to her left eye as though someone had thumped her. She moved her head backwards as a reaction.

"Her vision in her left eye was completely blurred at that point. She says her son had a wild eyed manner and appeared to have a smirk on his face as though he was pleased with the consequences of what had happened."

Plumley went back to his room and his mother then heard him punching out wooden panels, Mr Kesner said. The family were so worried Plumley might return that they called the police.

Mrs Plumley underwent an operation on 7th April to repair the tear in her eyeball and to remove remaining glass, added the prosecutor.

The court heard that Mrs Plumley was still suffering form the injuries she sustained on that day.

Joe Maloney, defending, said his client had been under the influence of a gallon and a half of booze.

"You've got to grow up and behave like a human being not an animal," Judge Picton told Plumley as he jailed him.

• Print
• Email
• Share