Man who went 'berserk' and punched grandmother locked up
A man who beat up his 94-year-old grandmother after going 'berserk' was starting an 18 month prison sentence today.
Giles Billingham flew into a rage when she called on him while looking for an object that had disappeared from her nearby home, a judge was told.
The 39-year-old was infuriated by the inference that he might have taken it and took terrible revenge, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.
"He was angry and followed her back to her home where he punched her in the head, cutting her," explained Miss Blondelle Thompson, prosecuting.
The defendant also admitted throwing an ornament at the elderly lady which missed and smashed a window, the court was told.
His grandmother was visibly shocked and shaking with blood on her head and hands when she went for help from a neighbour following the September 30 attack.
She said her grandson had gone 'berserk' and the police were called.
Almost two years earlier Billingham had received a bad head injury during an argument with the boyfriend of a woman who was moving out after lodging at the defendant's address in Ross, Rowley Regis.
The two men swapped insults before Aniel Kumar and the woman walked away but Billingham chased after them, screaming and waving a kitchen knife snatched from the home of his grandmother, continued Miss Thompson.
Mr Kumar was cut on the cheek while trying to disarm the defendant whom he punched to the ground and kicked in the head in self defence before leaving him lying semi conscious in the street, the court heard.
Billingham hurt his head again falling downstairs and was diagnosed with a brain injury in April 2017 but his health began to improve last year, it was said.
Mr Colin McCarraher, defending, said: "He loved his grandmother and had looked after her. He accepts what he did was inexcusable and is full of remorse for what happened.
"It was the result of a misunderstanding. He is horrified by what he has done and is still coming to terms with this."
The defendant, who was of previous good character, admitted affray and threatening Mr Kumar with a knife.
He also pleaded guilty to assaulting his grandmother and causing criminal damage to her home.
