An abusive son sent his mum threatening messages and then kicked and damaged her front door after he discovered she’d left his TV outside in the rain.
Edward Hunt had split with his girlfriend and arranged for his belongings to be dropped at his mother’s home in Chatham in January.
After making the arrangement, the 28-year-old then called his parent to tell her but he then started shouting at her and she put the phone down.
Not stopping there, he then sent his mum abusive messages threatening to “smash” up her home with a sledgehammer and telling her he “wished she’d kill herself”.
However, when he turned up at her home to collect his possessions and saw the TV still outside in the rain, he got angry again and started kicking her front door so hard he damaged it.
The incidents happened on January 2, and the victim reported the incident to police after stopping contact and blocking him.
Hunt, of Albion Road, Lordswood, was later charged and admitted criminal damage and sending offensive messages when he appeared at Medway Magistrates’ Court on August 5.
District Judge Stephen Leake heard when Hunt turned up at his mum’s home, she was wary of opening the door to him.
Florence Odongo, prosecuting, said: “She asked him through the door if he had calmed down and he said no, so she slightly opened the door and then he became verbally abusive because his mother was siding with his ex-girlfriend and he then warned her ‘watch what I will do’.
“So she closed the door and he was banging and kicking the front door and after about 15 minutes, he eventually left.
“There was damage to the front door as there were shoe marks on the door and the hinges would not close properly, and she called the landlord to repair it.
“He has a previous for criminal damage in 2013, and he targeted a vulnerable victim, it was a domestic abuse situation.”
A probation officer who interviewed Hunt told Judge Leake he had not spoken to his mother since the incident.
She also said he had worked as a labourer but was claiming Universal Credit, but didn’t have any drug or alcohol issues and had been in a bad place at the time with depression and anxiety.
Judge Leake acknowledged the fact that Hunt owned up to what happened and that he was concerned over the TV, but reminded him of the impact his aggressive messages must have had on his mother.
He then placed him on a 12-month community order, which will involve him completing 15 rehabilitation sessions, and fined him £180 .
Hunt was also ordered him to pay a victim surcharge of £114, as well as £85 court costs.
He will pay what he owes at a rate of £20 a month.
