A grandson left his gran fearing for her life after he abused and controlled her life for months - pulling her hair and forcing her to withdraw her life savings to fund his drug habit.
David Green, 26, stole £13,000 from his gran's bank account while she was recovering from a stroke and fearful to leave her own home, Preston Crown Court heard.
In December 2021, Green's cousin, who was the victim's granddaughter, visited the home he shared with his gran and became worried about some bruising on her 75-year-old relative, Lancs Live reports.
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She contacted the police who took an emotional account of coercive and controlling behaviour at the hands of Green towards his gran, which had been going on for almost a year. She told police she even feared her grandson would 'murder her.'
Rachel Faux, prosecuting, said Green had been raised by his gran from the age of 11 since his father had died and his mother was no longer able to look after him. His gran described him as a 'troubled child' whose life had taken a downward spiral.
He was verbally and physically abusive to her, forcing her to withdraw her life savings to pay for his drug habit, while she was recovering from a series of strokes she suffered three years earlier. As a result of her illness, the main arteries in her neck only worked at 5% efficiency.
"All he has to do is press on it and he would kill me. He knows that", the vulnerable pensioner said. The woman described how Green would throw pots at her and punch holes in walls, and said he spoke to her in a 'menacing tone' which left her afraid to leave the house.
The court heard in November 2021 her grandson grabbed her by her hair and pulled her backwards, telling her "you know what will happen if you don't give me money." She was shaking and agreed to withdraw £20 cash following the attack, she said.
At the end of November, Green moved his girlfriend into his gran's house without consulting her. The couple paid no board, ate her food, and insisted she did their laundry and waited on them. They disturbed her sleep with loud arguments and when Green's gran asked him to keep the noise down he threatened to push her down the stairs, Ms Faux said.
"When they argued until 3.30am it was the last straw. At one stage he came down the road threatening her and she thought he was going to murder her."
However in a victim impact statement, Green's gran said she wanted to help him with his mental health difficulties and was worried about how he would cope in prison. She said she was jumpy and paranoid in her own home and was frightened he would get carried away one day.
She added she had not wanted to trouble her granddaughter, Green's cousin, because she was pregnant but was relieved the young woman had stepped in as she could now start to make a life for herself. "I just want my grandson back", she said.
Thomas Worsfold, defending, said Green had gone to live with his gran during an extremely traumatic childhood and had relied heavily upon her as he was growing up. He said the pair had a close relationship, however at the age of 11 he had started smoking cannabis as a means of coping.
In his mid-teens he began using cocaine and by the age of 25 that had escalated to crack, Mr Worsfold said. Green was diagnosed with PTSD and emotionally unstable personality disorder but had not received any kind of therapy, either as a child or a young adult.
His drug use impacted his behaviour, which Mr Worsfold said "is not an excuse, but paints a picture of somebody who may not have acted this way if it were not for his need for money or the effect of his drug habit."
Green, of Newlyn Place, Ingol, Preston, pleaded guilty to engaging in coercive and controlling behaviour, making threats of harm for financial gain. A probation report stated he feels terrible about the way he treated his gran, the choices he has made, and the harm he has caused to her.
Recorder Peter Horgan, sentencing, said: "She was a troubled and torn lady, your gran, when she gave her police interview. She was torn between her natural feelings for you as your gran, her wish to help you with your mental health difficulties but she is also concerned about how you will react to reporting the abuse and if you are taken into custody.
"She remains conflicted between that and trying to re-establish some sense of normality in her life after reporting you and getting you out of her house. She was frightened, jumpy, paranoid and relying on others to report this.
"It is an unpleasant series of offences over a year. It is a serious intrusion into her wellbeing and her life - a lady who had taken the time to bring you up since the age of 11."
The judge gave Green credit for his guilty plea and said he took into account the progress Green has made since he left his gran's house. However he said the case was so serious he could not suspend the sentence and sent him to prison for 16 months. He also made a five year restraining order and ordered that a baseball bat and drugs paraphernalia which was found at the home should be forfeited and destroyed.
