Defendant ‘accepts responsibility’ - court told

JUDGE Sara Dodd said it was a ‘very serious incident’ and Nathan Collins’ mother and brother were ‘right to be terrified’ of his ‘bizarre behaviour’.

Sentencing, she said: “The irony of the situation is you had gone to your mother’s to try and detox from class A drugs.

“When you are under the influence of drugs you are a person capable of causing serious harm to those close to you and you lose your temper.

“I have concerns that should circumstances collide you could cause serious harm to others.”

Judge Dodd said a pre-sentence report prepared by the probation service did not consider Collins to be a ‘dangerous offender’.

Darren Lee-Smith, defending, said Collins ‘accepts full responsibility for his actions’ and now ‘stands back from any blame for his mother’.

He said: “From his arrest and appearance at the police station he accepts and wished for a period of immediate imprisonment.

“He recognises that drugs have destroyed his life.

“It was a terrifying situation for all parties.

“He was under the influence of drugs and the situation could have been far worse.

“Thankfully it didn’t escalate into significant violence.”