A ‘MONSTER’ who twice attacked his long-suffering pensioner mother also raided his ex-partner’s home, a court heard.

Drunk Craig Kershaw, 36, assaulted his mother, grabbed her bank card and withdrew £90, Burnley Crown Court was told.

The same day, he called at his former partner Debbie Morrison’s home to deliver a Christmas card but walked in and stole her boyfriend’s mobile phone when she didn’t answer.

He was rumbled after her partner arrived home, found the card pushed through the door and put two and two together.

Kershaw, who beat his mother again 13 days later, had demanded cash and tried to drag her from a chair after she refused and sat on her bank card.

The defendant, of Chatburn Avenue, Burnley, had admitted burglary, two counts of assault by beating and one of theft and had been committed for sentence by magistrates.

He received 12 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, with 18 months supervision and an alcohol programme from Recorder Andrew Long, who had read a letter from Mrs Kershaw.

Stephen Parker, prosecuting, said Kershaw had lived with his 60-year-old mother, Janet. He had been violent to her in the past and had been dealt with by the courts.

She would say he was ‘great’ when he was sober and helped her with shopping and cleaning, but when he had been drinking he was a ‘monster’.

The prosecutor said on December 27, the defendant was refused money by his mother who sat on her bank card to stop him getting hold of it.

Kershaw twisted the victim’s arm in an attempt to get her off the chair and release the card, neither of which she did.

He then put his arm down her back and tried to pull her from the chair. The victim managed to get her mobile phone and call the police.

Kershaw left and was arrested nearby. He was questioned, mostly remained silent in relation to his mother, but accepted the burglary.