A son spat in his mum’s face and pushed her into paint tins in an attack at her Washington home, a court heard.
Hadyn Longstaff, 28, of Glendale House, Washington town centre, spat at his mum after losing his temper.
Prosecutors say both acts in Eddleston, Rickleton, on Thursday, May 6, were deliberate.
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But in a hearing at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, Longstaff’s solicitor insisted the spit missed and his push was in self-defence.
Prosecutor Rebecca Gibson said: “The basis of his plea is not acceptable to the prosecution.
“The crown says it was a prolonged incident against a vulnerable person.
“She says she was home alone at 10.40am and he came in through a door and was instantly aggressive.
“She went into the kitchen, and she walked away, he pushed her, and she went falling into paint tins.
“He kept blocking her way, and she retreated to her bedroom and said she would call the police.
“He came into the bedroom and spat at her in the face. She did call the police and he left. She locked the door.”
Mrs Gibson said Longstaff returned before the police arrived and in a final flurry of anger booted his mother’s bedroom door.
She added: “Spitting in someone’s face is a humiliating and degrading act.”
The court heard Longstaff has a 2015 conviction for battery and others for violence.
Gerry Armstrong, defending said: “The basis of plea is that it’s alleged that Mr Longstaff spat at his mum during an altercation. She says it hit, he says it did not.
“It’s also said that he pushed her into paint tins. He says that he was being attacked and pushed her away into the paint tins.”
Magistrates said they did not believe the discrepancy in prosecution and defence cases would make a material difference to sentencing.
They rejected an option to hold a separate hearing to decide which version of events to best believe.
Longstaff, who pleaded guilty to assault by beating, will be sentenced at the same court on Friday, November 26.
He was granted bail on condition he does not contact his mum.
