A man who thought his life had not worked out the way he planned let his anger boil over and hit his mother five times with a hammer, a court heard yesterday.

Ian Marjoram, 32, from Harrogate, was jailed for five- and-half years and given an extended licence period of five years after pleading guilty to wounding Laura Blenkinship with intent to do her grievous bodily harm.

The prosecution at York Crown Court accepted Marjoram's not guilty plea to attempted murder.

Judge Paul Hoffman told the accused: "The intent was deadlier than the actual injuries. I am satisfied you will continue to be a threat to your mother. Therefore I am extending the sentence with an extra licence period to follow the one you will already have on release."

Geoff Hunter, prosecuting, said after being away from his mother since March last year and living in Knaresborough, Marjoram returned to live at her flat in Eleanor Road, Harrogate, at the end of June.

On the night she was attacked, Mrs Blenkinship went to bed around midnight and later heard her son moving around in her bedroom

"He rushed towards her, pinned her down on the bed by sitting astride her and hit her over the head five times with the claw hammer he had in his right hand," said Mr Hunter.

A neighbour heard the women screaming for help, pleading with her son to stop. After breaking free, Mrs Blenkinship ran into the street, still screaming and covered in blood, and was then taken to hospital where she was detained for 17 days.

Mr Hunter said when arrested the accused told police he wanted to kill her.

Mr Hunter said: "They were regarded by neighbours as a rather odd family and strange noises were sometimes heard coming from the flat. The defendant exhibited bizarre behaviour and had been abusive to his mother in the past, though not in a physical way."

Colin Burn, for Marjoram, said: "He is no risk at large, only to his mother. It seems his life, not having turned out the way he thought it should, let things overtake him and the anger just boiled over."

Mr Burn said Marjoram had a personality disorder, but he was not mentally ill.

"It is accepted the accused used only moderate force. Luckily his mother did not suffer life-threatening injuries."

Judge Hoffman said it was his desire to protect the mother, who was the obvious target of any further attack. He told Marjoram: "You have what many of us would regard as some sort of problem."

"Against that background you have struck your mother five times with a hammer and told the police you intended to kill her."

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