A woman from Newcastle has been sentenced for assaulting her vulnerable mother, leaving her terrified and bruised. The incident occurred in the victim’s home, where Caroline Aggas, 41, attacked her mother after a day of heavy drinking. Reports indicate that Aggas punched, kicked, and even nipped her mother, later throwing water over her and discarding her medication.
The events unfolded on September 19, 2023, when police received a call from a speech and language therapist who reported the assault. During the hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, prosecutor Jennifer Coxon detailed the chilling circumstances of the attack. She stated that the victim described a disturbing scene in the living room, where Aggas’s violent outburst included physically assaulting her mother and damaging property.
According to court documents, the victim revealed that Aggas had been drinking throughout the day and night. In addition to the physical violence, which included kicking and punching, Aggas reportedly threw her mother’s medication out the window, making it difficult for the victim, who suffers from mobility issues, to retrieve them. The assault escalated when Aggas kicked a television screen, causing it to crack, and pushed a knife against her mother’s chest, resulting in a minor cut.
The situation took a turn when the victim stepped outside to look for her medication and encountered two speech and language therapists. They noticed visible bruising on her arm and chest. When interviewed by police, the victim expressed that she felt “genuinely petrified” and had difficulty sleeping in the aftermath of the attack. Following the incident, she spent over a week in the hospital due to her injuries.
Aggas, who resides on Atkinson Road in Benwell, pleaded guilty to the assault, acknowledging her actions during the conflict but insisting that she had not intentionally used the knife. In a ruling delivered by Recorder Rebecca Brown, Aggas received a sentence of 13 months, suspended for 18 months, which includes a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement, alongside a restraining order against her mother.
Judge Brown emphasized the breach of trust inherent in family relationships, stating, “It represents a violation of the trust and security that usually exists in a family relationship.” The court also heard from Aggas’s defense attorney, Jordan Parkinson, who mentioned that there had been no incidents since the attack and that Aggas had not contacted her mother since then.
Parkinson further explained that Aggas was heavily under the influence of drugs and alcohol during the assault, which impaired her judgment. The defense attorney noted that Aggas feels remorseful for her actions and has faced challenges stemming from a turbulent upbringing. Despite ongoing struggles with substance use, Aggas has been encouraged by her son to seek help, particularly as she hopes to be part of her grandchild’s life when they are born.
This case highlights the complexities of familial relationships and the serious consequences of substance abuse, underscoring the need for support systems for vulnerable individuals and their families.
