A 69-year-old Douglas man has been jailed after he hit his 96-year-old mother with a magazine and then threatened witnesses.

Andrew John Fielding admitted provoking behaviour and intimidating a witness and was sentenced to 24 weeks’ custody, 12 weeks for each offence to run consecutively.

Fielding, of Hutchinson Square, was seen by witnesses hitting his mother over the head with the magazine in a hairdressers in Onchan.

He then phoned a witness who gave evidence in the case telling her: ’I’m gonna get you.’

We previously reported how, on June 11 at 10.40am, police were called to Scissors hairdressers at Village Walk in Onchan.

A members of staff said that Fielding had arrived with his mother and said that she wanted a haircut.

His mother said she did not want her hair short but Fielding said that it should be cut short.

Fielding was then said to have picked up a magazine and hit his mother on the side of the head.

As his mother sat in the barber’s chair Fielding again said that she would have it cut short and was then said to have ripped hair clips out of her hair.

He was then said to have grabbed her arm and twisted it, saying: ’Wait til you get home,’ before leaving the shop. Another witness said they heard Fielding say: ’Cut it all off, shave it off if you like.’

Concerned staff called the police and Fielding was spoken to at his home.

He said the incident had been ’blown out of all proportion’.

He admitted he and his mother had disagreed over whether her hair should be short and said that she ’winds him up’. He denied twisting her arm.

A charge of common assault was withdrawn after Fielding’s mother did not wish to make a complaint.

On July 29 Fielding was said to have telephoned one of the witnesses at her home, swore and accused her of lying as he said: ’It’s Johnny Briggs here. I’m gonna get you.

’I don’t mind going to Jurby but you will be going to Jurby too.’

Fielding previously made the headlines in 2015 when he was jailed for eight weeks after he brandished a snake at a teenage girl in the Villa Marina Gardens and asked her: ’If I show you something do you promise not to scream?’

Defending Fielding in court, his advocate Pamela Pringle said: ’He did swipe in his mother’s direction as he thought she was being awkward.

’We do wish to stress that no injuries were caused to her.

’His behaviour was due to impatience. What was supposed to be a nice day out turned sour. He wishes to apologise to everyone concerned.’

Ms Pringle said Fielding had been drinking when he phoned the witness.

Sole carer

She added that Fielding was the sole carer for his mother and brother who lived together and that both would suffer if he was jailed.

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes told Fielding: ’An assault by a blow to a person’s head is serious at any time. It is particularly serious on a 96-year-old.

’It is fortunate she didn’t suffer injury.’

Mrs Hughes went on to express concern over a probation report which said Fielding told probation he had ’done next to nothing wrong’ and described him as ’unable to recognise any other victims over and above himself’.

Fielding also told probation that looking after his mother and brother was tedious and he would see custody as a break. Mrs Hughes asked that appropriate authorities be informed of his imprisonment so his mother and brother could be given any care needed.